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. On Tuesday, Bates, 54, of Locust Point, was elected as the next Baltimore state's attorney. I have done that throughout my term as State's Attorney. In the Democratic primary, Shellenberger narrowly defeated Robbie Leonard a former public defender who advocated for a more progressive approach toward criminal justice and criticized how the office had handled low-level offenses, sex crimes and allegations of police misconduct by a margin of 2.4%, or 2,115 votes, according to election results from the Maryland State Board of Elections. Baltimore Sun Media May 17, 2022 at 3:43 pm Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger Democratic 63 Towson, Baltimore County State's Attorney for Baltimore. The Incumbent there, Albert Peisinger is also on the verge of being ousted. He also wants to examine the juvenile justice system. The more time that people had to learn about the differences between the two of us, the people chose me. No additional details on the reasons for declined criminal charges were provided. Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4, Baltimore County Republican Central Committee, CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice. Leonard has run unsuccessfully for public office twice before, including a close state senate race he lost in 2018 to Republican Chris West. He said hed like to post information about the office and its results as a measure of transparency on the website. - University of Baltimore, School of Law, 1984 - Loyola College, 1981, - State's Attorney for Baltimore County since 2007 - Won election in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018. But when counting of mail-in ballots started later that week, Shellenberger closed the gap and then gained ground. 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. Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City. [Live election results: Baltimore County primary results]. For those who are guilty and a Judge has decided the appropriate sentence, we cannot ignore and must be sensitive to the victims. The Baltimore Banner may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. You can unsubscribe from these alerts at anytime. 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. If elected, he plans to partner with state and local agencies and nonprofits to get people help rather than introducing them to the criminal justice system. I worked to remove a requirement of "resistance" by victims of a sexual assault. . Baltimore County voters have made their selections in primary races for state's attorney, the County Council and county executive ahead of the November general contest. Amanda Rodriguez, the executive director of the nonpartisan advocacy group TurnAround Inc., said there absolutely has to be a change in how sexual assaults are prosecuted in Baltimore County, regardless of who wins the election. Name Party Early Voting 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. From our perspective, we see the states attorney as a law-and-order candidate, Folderauer said And obviously, that is the oath that we have taken. The states attorney and others in his office are defendants in an ongoing federal lawsuit in which a woman who reported she was raped alleges they violated her constitutional rights. Leonards and the PACs messaging focused heavily on Shellenbergers handling of sexual assault cases. 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. Additionally, it found three prosecutors were consulted on the most cases, of the 56 the audit examined that named a prosecutor. Gaskill has had bylines in The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post and The Chicago Tribune, among other publications. [Baltimore Countys top prosecutor faces a progressive challenger in his first primary fight in 16 years. The council elections took place under a newly drawn political map. WYPO 106.9 FM Ocean City, PublishedSeptember 20, 2021 at 10:22 PM EDT. In elected, Haynes said, hed make every possible effort to work with the U.S. Attorneys Office and federal law enforcement on prosecutions involving gangs, drugs and illegal guns. Attorney Robbie Leonard said Monday he will challenge Shellenberger in next June's primary. The Democratic nominee will face either Republicans James A. Haynes or Deborah Hill in the November general election. Currently, he is trailing Republican challenger Alison M. Healey by nearly 9,500 votes. When you get into the process, the taxpayers in Maryland and Baltimore County end up paying for your mistakes, said Haynes, referring to the states attorneys offices involvement in the case. Haynes has called himself a political outsider.. Shellenbergers tactic is to lean on the justice system. Of the cases where prosecutors brought charges, convictions were secured in 64% of the cases. Law Clerks are an essential part of the office. By signing up for alerts, I agree to The Baltimore Banner's Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy and to receive news alerts and other communications from The Baltimore Banner. Vote-counting stretched on for more than a week because of the large number of mail-in ballots cast in Marylands primary election. There is no statute of limitation on rape in the state of Maryland. www.thebaltimorebanner.com 2022 The Baltimore Banner. We established diversion programs for drug possession cases which seeks treatment rather than conviction. Retired from the US Department of Labor as Appellate . Baltimore County State's Attorney is challenged on prosecution . BALTIMORE Although the Primary Election has come and gone, some races have yet to be called. Of those, the three unnamed prosecutors brought charges in three out of 33. It appears incumbent Democratic Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger could lose his seat to well funded progressive challenger Robbie Leonard. What is the most pressing issue facing the county's State's Attorney's office? The police department shrugs off and blows off so many claims of rape and sexual assault because they know that theres no point in arresting someone because Mr. Shellenberger is just going to dismiss the case, he alleged. Throughout the Democratic campaign, Leonard sought to bring scrutiny to Shellenbergers record in office. Haynes led the primary Tuesday night. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Advertisement Incumbent Democrat Johnny Olszewski defeated former. Leonard said, Just in the past few years weve seen so many civilians who have been killed by the police, whether they were suffering a mental health crisis or just being Black.. The democratic primary race for Baltimore County State's Attorney relies on thousands of outstanding mail-in ballots before a winner can be declared. He said he loves his job and believes that the office contributes a lot toward keeping people safe. At the May online meeting of the Southwest Baltimore County Democratic Club, Shellenberger confirmed hed met with the woman and didnt believe prosecutors could prove her case. It noted there were continuing challenges for police and prosecutors interviewing victims with disabilities or mental health issues. All rights reserved. 72. Prosecutors had declined to take the case, but the woman tried to pursue charges on her own through the court commissioner. Theres a point at which you get out of the process. This decision must also be balanced with a knowledge and judgement in prosecution which addresses the circumstances police officers are placed in while working to protect the community. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. According to a 2019 Baltimore Sun report, the Baltimore County Sexual Assault Investigations Task Force found that county police seldom tested evidence from sexual assault cases. The 16-year incumbent released a statement . Learn more about supporting local journalism. With the limits on resources with which I am provided, that is where my priorities will be. He took office in 2007. The race got heated between former state delegate Pat McDonough and Darren Badillo, an auto sales manager and deacon at Rosedale Baptist Church. 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. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. all male county council, and men as state's attorney . Shellenberger has a close relationship with the Baltimore County Police Department, which has been questioned in the past. The states attorney said he has supported what he considers reasonable criminal justice reform, and touted his long experience prosecuting crime and supervising dozens of attorneys. Shellenberger also refuted the notion that he is too close with the countys Fraternal Order of Police, saying he has a list of 18 police officers including the organizations past president that his office has prosecuted in the past few years. And its not OK for the states attorneys office to turn their back on their sworn oath.. The Maryland Board of Public Works on Wednesday approved the states portion of a $100,000 settlement in a lawsuit in which a woman alleged that police and prosecutors violated her constitutional rights after she reported that three baseball players from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, sexually assaulted her. The woman disputed Shellenbergers suggestion that her story changed and said he told her last year he believed her allegation because she was consistent.. He was also given the Gun Sense Candidate distinction from Moms Demand Action to End Gun Violence. WYPR - 88.1 FM Baltimore | advocated for a more progressive approach toward criminal justice, according to election results from the Maryland State Board of Elections, a jury came back with a not guilty verdict in 2013. Im happy to see that a billionaire couldnt buy an election, County Councilman Tom Quirk, an Oella Democrat who supported Shellenberger, said this week as Shellenberger was ahead during vote-counting. Leonard conceded about 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon. I will continue to fight to get more resources to properly fund an office which can address all crime. We will see with time if the appropriate balance has been reached. He said his office now requires more documentation about its decisions to approve or decline charges in similar cases. The way that we can prevent it from happening again is to get good sentences, in the area of violent crime. After the recommendations from the countys latest task force on sexual assaults, the group did a follow-up audit in 2021 to measure improvements or lingering problems. 'This is a big job': Leonard Takes on Shellenberger in Baltimore County State's Attorney Primary By Hannah Gaskill May 30, 2022 Getty Images. He said crime and the fear of crime does not seem to be getting better. The Baltimore Sun typically does not name people who say they are victims of sexual assault. Baltimore County voters have made their selections in primary races for states attorney, the County Council and county executive ahead of the November general contest. Shellenberger, meanwhile, emphasized his experience prosecuting crimes and said he has supported what he calls reasonable criminal justice reform. (AP Photo/Piper Blackburn). Acie Spencer, 55, said he voted for Shellenberger and other incumbents who he says have run their offices effectively. 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. Incumbent Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger remained ahead in the Democratic primary for his office after more than 12,000 more mail-in votes were added Sunday, extending his lead over progressive challenger Robbie Leonard to 2,150 votes in the latest accounting of mail-in ballots. Some though have been settled. Haynes was leading the race as ballots were starting to be counted Tuesday night. In 2019, state and local lawmakers passed bills to fund testing of previously untested kits and set standards for testing kits in the future. One plaintiff, Anna Borkowski, told the magazine that Shellenberger sent three members of the Baltimore County Police Department to her grandmothers house in Baltimore City, which is out of their jurisdiction, to tell her to stop attempting to file charges against her assailants. Shellenberger has cruised to reelection for more than a decade. But Haynes said the incumbent is not doing enough to address violent crime. Where do you see room for improvement in how sexual assault survivors are treated by law enforcement and prosecutors? The articles title is a quote from Leonard about mishandled sexual assault cases in the county: We dont know how many women are out there like that.. Shellenberger, a Towson resident, will face Republican James A. Haynes in the November general election. Baltimore Countys top prosecutor faces a progressive challenger in his first primary fight in 16 years. We are active participants in problem solving courts in appropriate cases where the primary focus is treatment rather than incarceration. Leonard said his campaign that ended in a narrow defeat should be seen as a signal for change in the countys criminal justice system. Juris doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1981. Olszewski had a wide lead in initial returns. With roughly 35,000 Baltimore County ballots yet to be counted, the Democratic primary for states attorney was extremely close Tuesday night, with hundreds of votes separating attorney and Maryland Democratic Party Secretary Robbie Leonard and longtime incumbent Scott Shellenberger. WYPF 88.1 FM Frederick Leonard spoke frequently of racial disparities in the criminal justice system. I am committed to fight for the victims and a hope for peace in their lives after my office has achieved justice for them. 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. A federal judge blocked the county from using its initial map and later accepted a revised version. Offers may be subject to change without notice. He announced in May that he is running for a fifth term. . After early voting when people showed up for eight days, I got the most votes. 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. People in the community, he said, want to be safe from violent crime. Leonard supporter Peta Richkus said his campaign generated energy that was visible throughout the county.. 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 . 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. Leonard will make his bid for Baltimore County States Attorney official on Saturday. Leonard supporters said the candidates platform is what attracted voters. 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. According to his most recent financial disclosure, he has around $22,000 in his campaign coffers. The Baltimore Banner is a trademark registered in the U.S. for The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Shellenberger said he has tried to run his office in a nonpolitical way. Working immediately to get an innocent person freed who has been wrongly convicted is probably the most important thing a prosecutor should do. Most of the time, Baltimore County States Attorney Scott Shellenberger does not even draw a general election challenger. (Ex: Low-level drug offenses vs. violent crimes with victims, etc.). In other cases, such as the drug trade, its international. Mail-in ballots wont begin to be canvassed until Thursday and it could take days or possibly weeks for winners to be declared. We have removed the defense that a person cannot be convicted of sexually assaulting a spouse. He said Shellenberger is out of touch with Democratic primary voters. The Republican primary, meanwhile, attracted six candidates. In 2017, Shellenberger opposed mandatory testing of every rape kit. Republican Tony Campbell was unopposed. 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. The Maryland Justice and Public Safety PAC, funded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros, poured nearly $784,000 into the race over a month, flooding many county Democrats mailboxes and social media feeds with advertisements. Juris doctor from University of Baltimore of School of Law in 1984. Theres a growing awareness that the criminal justice system as usual is not acceptable, said David Jaros, faculty director of the Center for Criminal Justice Reform at the University of Baltimores law school. He pointed to the murder of George Floyd, the Freddie Gray case and the Gun Trace Task Force scandal. In the lawsuit, a woman accuses Shellenberger of sending police to her home to tell her to stop trying to pursue criminal charges against the men she said assaulted her. He described that practice as unprofessional, stating that its wrong to mix public service with considerations of political loyalty. We must endeavor to address the root causes of crime and help those driven by issues often out of their control. Baltimore, Maryland Area. In one meeting, according to the woman, who is Black, a prosecutor cited a past sexual assault case where the victim also was a Black woman. 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. 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. Rogers Forge, Baltimore County. Assistant State's Attorney.