He said he loves his job and believes that the office contributes a lot toward keeping people safe. BALTIMORE -- Scott Shellenberger has garnered enough votes to maintain his position as Baltimore County state's attorney, according to election records. (A 2019 audit had found rape kits werent tested in 78% of cases.). He wanted to engage with those directly impacted by the failings of the justice system, such as domestic violence victims and people returning home after incarceration. Rodriguez, who has been working as an advocate for the woman who confronted Shellenberger, said the reasoning for why prosecutors arent moving forward has been inconsistent. Rodriguez is a former prosecutor in Shellenbergers office and said she would have brought criminal charges against the womans attacker, based on the facts of the case. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She previously worked on the print layout design team at The Diamondback, reported on criminal justice in Maryland for Capital News Service and served as a production assistant for The Confluence the daily news magazine on 90.5 WESA, Pittsburghs NPR member station. When youre trying to explain to someone the reasons why you cant go forward, you have to give real-life experiences as to what happens in other cases to give it context. In other cases, such as the drug trade, its international. The. Cox initially said he would offer some comment but left without speaking to reporters after the results were announced. The PAC filed in mid-June and its spending, only related to Leonards campaign, far outmatched what either candidate raised throughout the primary. James A. Haynes. Gubernatorial Election years are 2022, 2026, 2030, etc. WYPO 106.9 FM Ocean City, PublishedSeptember 20, 2021 at 10:22 PM EDT. A judge ruled in a hearing on Tuesday that the perjury and mortgage fraud trial for former Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby will remain in Baltimore despite attempts to move it. HUNT VALLEY Baltimore County's incumbent state's attorney beat back an upstart primary challenger and will move on to the November general election. County Executive . The public then expects a decision by their State's Attorney to pursue prosecution when appropriate. David Collins (@dcollinsWBAL) July 29, 2022 Only hundreds of votes. The Baltimore Banner is a trademark registered in the U.S. for The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Baltimore Banner may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. I dont find that acceptable, but that is the reality, Shellenberger said. 53,603 ballots were sent to Baltimore . The Sun obtained a recording of the May 16 exchange from Leonard, who also spoke in the event. Haynes said he wants to add six to 10 more assistant states attorneys and would serve as an advocate for the criminal justice system if it needed additional judges or police officers. Last updated: 08/24/2022 04:50:11 PM. The woman who confronted Shellenberger about her case told The Sun in an interview she decided to come forward after years of pushing for criminal charges out of desperation and pain, both to get justice for herself and to try to protect other women. Attorney Robbie Leonard said Monday he will challenge Shellenberger in next Junes primary. Shellenbergers primary win comes as he takes time away from the office. We have, I believe, balanced the issues of prosecution and public safety very carefully, Shellenberger said. What is the most pressing issue facing the county's State's Attorney's office? Leonard said that transparency and accountability mean prosecuting violent crimes where theres actual victims not quality of life offenses, like charges that stem from poverty or drug use. The Baltimore Banner is a trademark registered in the U.S. for The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. She also spoke in June at a virtual town hall hosted by 1199SEIU, a health care union that endorsed Leonard, in partnership with the a new group called Legal Justice Alliance of Baltimore County. We need to have a police department which earns and deserves the respect of all. Pausing on her way to drop off a ballot at Stoneleigh Elementary School, West Towson resident Ilaina Clement, 62, said she voted for Leonard because she supports his positions on criminal justice reform. Throughout the Democratic campaign, Leonard sought to bring scrutiny to Shellenbergers record in office. Rodriguez said a case should move forward on its own laurels, on its own facts.. The prosecutor, Lisa Dever, told The Sun her intent was to explain you cant know jurors past experiences or what theyll bring to a case. For decades, the crime rate has been decreasing in the United States. John Lee is a reporter for WYPR covering Baltimore County. Name Party Early Voting . But when counting of mail-in ballots started later that week, Shellenberger closed the gap and then gained ground. Subscribers to Maryland Family Law Update can access the digital edition archive. This has to be balanced with our efforts to pursue the assertive prosecution of crimes of violence to assure the public knows they can feel safe to live in this County and that they will be protected. I have done that throughout my term as State's Attorney. The Republican candidates are James Haynes, a retired attorney who previously worked as an administrative judge for the U.S. Department of Labor and at the state attorney general and public defender offices, and Deborah Hill, who has represented state employee retirees in a lawsuit challenging a reduction in their prescription drug benefits. Robbie Leonard continued to hold a narrow lead Wednesday of 860 votes over 15-year incumbent Scott Shellenberger for the Democratic nomination for Baltimore County State's Attorney. Soros has funded campaigns around the country to elect progressive local prosecutors. I really think this is all about experience, and knowing how this office works, Shellenberger said. In 2019, state and local lawmakers passed bills to fund testing of previously untested kits and set standards for testing kits in the future. Recently, Peisinger has also come under some scrutiny for his handling of police involved shooting incidents. He noted that he hires new assistant states attorneys and frequently speaks with his elected counterparts through his involvement with the Maryland States Attorneys Association. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Shellenberger said while he often testifies in opposition to the bills as drafted, he supports reasonable reforms. He harkened back to the 2015 Maryland Second Chance Act and the 2016 Justice Reinvestment Act, both of which he supported. Leonard, 40, was the first Democrat to go up against Shellenberger, 63, since the incumbent was elected in 2006. On the final day of counting, incumbent Scott Shellenberger added 182 votes to his nearly 2,000 vote lead and edged out Robbie Leonard. I worked to get old sexual assault kits and available evidence tested to find serial sexual offenders. The Republican primary, meanwhile, attracted six candidates. Some observers questioned the lackluster effort as Leonard rallied a grassroots progressive primary challenge to Shellenberger. (Paul Newson) As he seeks a fifth term in office, Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger on Tuesday held a wide lead over his first challenger in the general election in 12 years, Jim Haynes. The district covering areas such as Overlea, Parkville, Rosedale and Towson drew five candidates, the most of any district. Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger has not had a Democratic primary challenger since he was first elected in 2006. He was ahead as votes started to be counted Tuesday night. Return to Election Result Index . Violent crime, unquestionably, must be prioritized. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Attorney at the Law Offices of Peter G. Angelos from 1993-2006. Juris doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1981. We must be attuned to the issues from both the perspective of the man on the street and the officer on the beat. Shellenberger was not available for comment Tuesday night. Leonard said he got tired of the status quo following the killing of George Floyd last year in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer. Leonard has run unsuccessfully for public office twice before, including a close state senate race he lost in 2018 to Republican Chris West. Patoka had a large lead in early returns, as did other council members who faced primary challengers: Republicans Todd Crandell of Dundalk, Wade Kach of Cockesyville, and David Marks of Perry Hall. Some female voters told The Baltimore Sun during the campaign that issues related to sexual assault were why they supported Leonard. The office has declined to create written guidelines for review and prosecution of sexual offenses or to put in place the national best practices compiled by the task force. His office issued a statement Thursday saying he plans to return the week after next, and is still in consistent contact with staff and making management decisions. He is what youve seen: Hes a man of great character. He has emphasized positive steps made in response to criticisms, such as increased testing of rape kits. Attorney Robbie Leonard said Monday he will challenge Shellenberger in next June's primary. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, some scrutiny for his handling of police involved shooting incidents. That is about to change. If you say youre going to ring the bell, ring the bell, said Haynes, whos also a retired federal appellate administrative law judge. On the final day of counting,. And its not OK for the states attorneys office to turn their back on their sworn oath.. The 2021 audit also found more standardized documentation of prosecutors review of police cases. But the results took more than a week and initially Leonard led the 16-year incumbent by more than 800 votes. While some dismissed Leonard as a long-shot candidate and were stunned by the initial results, other observers believed the contest would be close, especially toward the end of the campaign. He said it is worth prosecuting low-level crimes and that the court system is, at times, what gets someone help. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policies | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell My Personal Information | Ad Choices. In all, Shellenberger finished with a more than 2,100 vote lead over Leonard. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. As precinct ballots were tallied, Leonard maintained the marginal lead of 860 votes over Shellenberger, who had gone unchallenged in the primary race for his seat since the "tough on crime" prosecutor was . Working immediately to get an innocent person freed who has been wrongly convicted is probably the most important thing a prosecutor should do. No one thought we could take on a 16-year incumbent but look what we accomplished, said Leonard. Shellenberger also said Leonards out-of-state support was troubling. He fulfilled a lifelong dream when elected State's Attorney for Baltimore County in 2006, and was re-elected in 2010, 2014 and 2018. Together, we can, At a heated meeting Thursday, the Juvenile Justice Reform Council voted to recommend that the legislature abolish the practice of automatically charging minors in, Bernice Mireku-North (D), a Silver Spring attorney and criminal justice reformer, formally launched her bid to unseat Montgomery County States Attorney John J. McCarthy. I have spent the majority of my career in public service, serving 14 years as a senior assistant state's attorney in the Carroll County State's Attorney's Office, and now working in the . At the same time, they see that theres no accountability in the police department, and theres no accountability in the States Attorneys Office, he said. The Legislature has decided that when the circumstances involve the death of an individual, that investigation will be by investigators attached to the Attorney General's Office. Shellenberger has frequently opposed progressive criminal justice legislation in Annapolis. I want to raise the level of professionalism in the office.. He said he wouldnt discuss details because I dont think its fair to her, but alluded to what she told police and the timing of the report. I always wondered, like, how is this states attorney a Democrat? The Incumbent there, Albert Peisinger is also on the verge of being ousted. They deserve some finality. Members of the BCSAO Honors Law Clerk Program are full-time benefitted employees of the BCSAO. He has also called for an audit to examine possible racial disparities in charging decisions. Tilghman, of Ames United Methodist Church in Bel Air, supported the state Child Interrogation Protection Act for kids taken into police custody. The task forces original report found prosecutors declined to charge in 57% of the audits sampling of sexual assault cases reported from 2016 through 2018, and brought charges in 34%. Haynes has called himself a political outsider.. That doesnt mean that everybody goes to jail, he said. I have fought over all my years as State's Attorney to be responsive to all victims. Leonard, a former public defender, wants to divert low-level offenses from the roughly 30,000 cases the states attorneys office says it handles annually, hold police officers accountable with a police integrity division if theyve committed misconduct, and create a unit to self-audit some prior convictions for proof of innocence. He said he feels that he has a greater diversity of experience than his opponent. [Live election results: Baltimore County primary results]. He took office in 2007. . He unseated the two-term incumbent, Marilyn Mosby, in the Democratic primary and did not face a challenger in the general election. Those that don't or choose not to must be appropriately addressed. Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4, Baltimore County Republican Central Committee, CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice. As of this publishing, the two are separated by less than 1,000 votes which is just shy of two percentage points. Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City. That in itself, I think, is horrific.. These cookies do not store any personal information. Throughout his career, Leonard said hes represented minors and adults and served on the public defenders government relations team, where he testified on bills in the legislature. Returns were. He said hed hire ethics counsel to both keep people out of trouble and help assistant states attorneys do their best work. Rogers Forge, Baltimore County. In that case, a juror told the prosecutor another member of the jury had convinced the others that all Black women lie, according to the womans account. Some voters, though, said they were discouraged from voting for Leonard after receiving a slew of mailers in the waning weeks of the primary from a super political action committee excoriating Shellenbergers reluctance to prosecute sexual assault crimes and charge police officers who fatally shoot civilians. Nonpartisan. There is no statute of limitation on rape in the state of Maryland. It appears that this has been accomplished. Learn more about supporting local journalism. (Ex: Low-level drug offenses vs. violent crimes with victims, etc.). All Rights Reserved. All rights reserved. He plans to hold a rally in Patriots Plaza in Towson at 2 p.m. WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore With the limits on resources with which I am provided, that is where my priorities will be. That included Democrat Izzy Patoka of Pikesville. Critics have targeted Shellenberger over his handling of sexual assault cases and police involved shooting incidents. Leonard said arresting possible human trafficking victims preposterous. Many different voices made themselves heard throughout the course of this primary election, and I was heartened by the instances when the issues were fairly discussed and debated, he said. all male county council, and men as state's attorney . The 2021 audit said it couldnt assess case outcomes at trial because of COVID-19 delays. Prosecutors had declined to take the case, but the woman tried to pursue charges on her own through the court commissioner. He said Shellenberger is out of touch with Democratic primary voters. Hes very intelligent. Sure it helped, said Leonard. Leonard spoke frequently of racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Leonard portrayed Shellenberger as out of step with todays Democrats, someone who hadnt changed with the times. The effort attracted the attention of outside organizations including groups connected to billionaire George Soros. This is accomplished by the existence of a thorough and impartial investigation. Deputy States Attorney John Cox, who represented his boss, and Leonard were both present in the final hour of counting. The Baltimore County States Attorneys Office requested that law enforcement ask her not to seek charges against the men after prosecutors declined to proceed with a case. In Baltimore County, registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by a more than 2-to-1 margin. Theres a point at which you get out of the process. We also need to continue our efforts to demonstrate to all citizens that the justice system must continue in our efforts to be race neutral and assure that all are treated fairly. We established diversion programs for drug possession cases which seeks treatment rather than conviction. 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