Four incumbents faced primary challengers. 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. Before pursuing journalism, she received her bachelors of fine art degree from Carnegie Mellon University in 2016. The Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City accepts applications on a rolling basis for membership into the Honors Law Clerk Program. Riley said hes seen firsthand how elected officials can become stale.. Now, for the first time in 12 years, Shellenberger faces a Republican opponent, Jim Haynes, an attorney and former Maryland assistant attorney general, on Election Day. If re-elected, Shellenberger plans to prioritize prosecuting violent crime, which has been on the rise in Baltimore County. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Subscribers to Maryland Family Law Update can access the digital edition archive. Shellenberger has said the office doesnt collect data around the number of criminal prosecutions, convictions or victim and perpetrator demographics making it challenging for observers to analyze outcomes. He said his office now requires more documentation about its decisions to approve or decline charges in similar cases. 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. Ten days after Election Day, Shellenberger officially prevailed Friday in the Democratic contest between him and Robbie Leonard, a former public defender who is now an attorney in private practice. Acie Spencer, 55, said he voted for Shellenberger and other incumbents who he says have run their offices effectively. No Republican has challenged Shellenberger in the general election since 2010. I believe the large majority of the officers have earned that respect. Theres a point at which you get out of the process. Early voting ends Nov. 3. Haynes was leading the race as ballots were starting to be counted Tuesday night. Shellenberger, seen as a traditional law-and-order prosecutor, defended his record during the campaign and said his office aggressively prosecuted crimes of violence, especially gun offenses. If you say youre going to ring the bell, ring the bell, said Haynes, whos also a retired federal appellate administrative law judge. In this instance, Dever said, the juror was a Black woman who told other jurors the defendant reminded her of her son and indicated she believed all Black women lie. The defendant was found not guilty in the trial. Both promised comments when the last votes were counted. You can unsubscribe from these alerts at anytime. Reached by phone Tuesday night, Leonard said that he knew the election wouldnt be decided until mail-in ballots are counted. Returns were incomplete Tuesday evening, with polls closing at 8 p.m. and a large number of ballots yet to be counted. . Early numbers showed a very tight race, with the two separated by a fraction of a percentage point. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Leonard said he wants to take most of the blame away from the police department in regard to how it handles rape allegations because theyre really just following the directions of Mr. Shellenberger.. He took office in 2007. 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. But when counting of mail-in ballots started later that week, Shellenberger closed the gap and then gained ground. The county police and fire unions backed Shellenberger, while Leonard won endorsements from local Democratic clubs, progressive groups and other labor organizations, including the county teachers union. 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. 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. 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. 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. Daily Record Government Reporter While most attention Tuesday focused on the Republican and Democratic Gubernatorial races and the Baltimore City State's Attorney's race, others were heating up. He said he loves his job and believes that the office contributes a lot toward keeping people safe. With two longtime Democratic County Council members not seeking reelection, including the only woman on the seven-member body, this years primary attracted a slew of hopefuls. Leonard agreed that crime needs to be addressed and that residents feel unsafe. Tilghman, of Ames United Methodist Church in Bel Air, supported the state Child Interrogation Protection Act for kids taken into police custody. The 2021 audit said it couldnt assess case outcomes at trial because of COVID-19 delays. The Baltimore County Board of Elections certified the county's results Friday, following a week of counting thousands of mail-in and provisional ballots. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Our job is to strive to always do the right thing. 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. He said he believes that a comment that he made at a forum about the homicide rate being relatively stable has been misconstrued. Shellenberger takes issue with that, saying his office has prosecuted 19 police officers for various offenses. Juris doctor from University of Baltimore of School of Law in 1984. We just work cooperatively toward that goal.. Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City. BALTIMORE Although the Primary Election has come and gone, some races have yet to be called. We cannot ignore, however, that there are victims of low-level offenses also. Name Party Early Voting 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. Leonard supporters said the candidates platform is what attracted voters. Published on: July 20, 2022 12:12 AM EDT|Updated on: July 22, 2022 6:28 PM EDT. State's Attorney Republican Candidates - Vote for 1 The Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City takes a holistic approach to fighting crime, keeping the community informed, investing in Baltimore's youth before they encounter the criminal justice system and providing second-chance opportunities to first-time nonviolent offenders. When they counted provisional ballots, I got the most votes. The race was marked by heavy outside spending by progressive political action committees that sought to unseat Shellenberger. The Democratic nominee will face either Republicans James A. Haynes or Deborah Hill in the November general election. 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. All I have asked is that those investigations be appropriately prompt. Since his election, Mr. Shellenberger has fought for justice, fairness, and accountability in the criminal justice system. He plans to hold a rally in Patriots Plaza in Towson at 2 p.m. WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. By, Wavelength: Baltimore's Public Radio Journey, One Day at a Time: In Recovery in Baltimore, Celebrating 20 Years of Commitment to Community. For the first time in a decade, Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger (D) will have a Republican opponent to campaign against if he can beat Robbie Leonard (D) in the 2022 primary election. He announced in May that he is running for a fifth term. A tough-on-crime Democrat, Shellenberger will square up against the young, self-described progressive attorney and secretary of the Maryland Democratic Party at the polls in July. Leonard supporter Peta Richkus said his campaign generated energy that was visible throughout the county.. Were going to lose if we play defense, Haynes said. The Baltimore Sun typically does not name people who say they are victims of sexual assault. She said in the online meeting that was one of the reasons the prosecutor was concerned about moving forward in my case.. Doug Riley, who served on the Baltimore County Council from 1990-1998, said hes known Haynes for almost 40 years and believes that he has a good perspective about the criminal justice system and how it can be used to help people. Law Clerks are assigned to work in one of the trial units. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 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. I worked to get old sexual assault kits and available evidence tested to find serial sexual offenders. The 16-year incumbent released a statement . TurnAround, she said, is eager to work with the office on enhancing victim-centered and trauma-informed approaches to working with survivors. The winner of the primary will go on to the general election to face Republican James A. Haynes, 72, a former federal labor department administrative judge who lives in Rodgers Forge, or Deborah Hill, 60, a private practice attorney who lives in Cockeysville. About 2,100 votes separated the two. He also wants to examine the juvenile justice system. If Leonard clinches the Democratic nomination, hell have ousted one of the most prominent voices on law enforcement and criminal justice in Annapolis. 53,603 ballots were sent to Baltimore . I want to raise the level of professionalism in the office.. Shellenberger received 44,962 votes or 51% compared to Leonard's 42,847 votes, 49%. I have worked during my entire tenure as State's Attorney to run an office that applies the prosecution of crime even-handedly regardless of race or social position. John Lee is a reporter for WYPR covering Baltimore County. WYPF 88.1 FM Frederick Shellenberger said his office doesnt collect data on outcomes or demographics due to current staffing levels and the difficulties in tracking cases court outcomes, such as if someone charged with a sex crime was ultimately convicted of a lesser or different type of crime. I am absolutely committed to that. Do voters want change? Shellenberger also said Leonards out-of-state support was troubling. Shellenbergers tactic is to lean on the justice system. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Violent crime, unquestionably, must be prioritized. He unseated the two-term incumbent, Marilyn Mosby, in the Democratic primary and did not face a challenger in the general election. 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 . That is about to change. I was involved actively in that process at both the County and State level. Rodriguez said a case should move forward on its own laurels, on its own facts.. Their analysis of a random sampling of 2020 cases found positive steps on the police end of investigations: Fewer cases were being closed as unfounded and nearly all included the testing of rape kits. Find Maryland Election Campaign & Political lawyers, attorneys, law firms - MD Election Campaign & Political Lawyers 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. Only Shellenberger and the Fraternal Order of Police appeared in opposition, according to Leonard. Assistant State's Attorney. Then there is the GOP Primary battle for Harford County State's Attorney. - 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 after researching the candidates platforms, she decided Leonards views on diverting some nonviolent, low-level offenses, like drug possession, from the criminal justice system aligned with her own. McDonough denies he stole the sign and a trial is scheduled for Aug. 29. He described that practice as unprofessional, stating that its wrong to mix public service with considerations of political loyalty. Of those, the three unnamed prosecutors brought charges in three out of 33. The world has changed a lot in the last four years, Jaros said. 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. She said prosecutors she worked with in the years since her assaults made her feel worthless and like she wasnt human, including mocking and blaming her. 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. 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. Appellate administrative judge on the Administrative Review Board in the U.S. Department of Labor, 2019-2021. 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. He faces a federal lawsuit alleging he and others in his office violated a different womans constitutional rights when she sought to press charges. Olszewski had a wide lead in initial returns. Those that don't or choose not to must be appropriately addressed. Leonard, 40, was the first Democrat to go up against Shellenberger, 63, since the incumbent was elected in 2006. Retired from the US Department of Labor as Appellate . I worked to remove a requirement of "resistance" by victims of a sexual assault. This is not a place to learn on the job.. Official 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results for Baltimore County. Shellenberger has cruised to reelection for more than a decade. Baltimore Countys top prosecutor faces a progressive challenger in his first primary fight in 16 years. Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby lost her reelection bid to defense attorney Ivan Bates in the Democratic primary after she was indicted by a grand jury on federal charges. Deputy States Attorney John Cox, who represented his boss, and Leonard were both present in the final hour of counting. Cox initially said he would offer some comment but left without speaking to reporters after the results were announced. Friday marked the final day of counting for mail-in and provisional ballots in Baltimore County. I draw the line, however, when we address violent crime where innocent people are victimized. The way that we can prevent it from happening again is to get good sentences, in the area of violent crime. Leonard portrayed Shellenberger as out of step with todays Democrats, someone who hadnt changed with the times. Haynes described Baltimore County as sort of a regional firewall that can improve the safety of people in the city and surrounding counties if it arrests and convicts criminals. 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. Leonard has run unsuccessfully for public office twice before, including a close state senate race he lost in 2018 to Republican Chris West. 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 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. Shellenberger, 63, has criticized Leonard for his lack of prosecutorial experience, his party politics and perspective on criminal justice reform. Prosecutors had declined to take the case, but the woman tried to pursue charges on her own through the court commissioner. (A 2019 audit had found rape kits werent tested in 78% of cases.). Leonard will make his bid for Baltimore County States Attorney official on Saturday. The State's Attorney needs to be actively involved in addressing these issues when we are dealing with lower level crimes. 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 . The voters of Baltimore County deserve that change. And the voters of Baltimore County deserve that change.. Haynes said he would neither solicit campaign donations from staff nor ask them to work the polls. 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. The criminals havent scored any more points, he later added. Were the law and order portion of the criminal justice system., We have seen their office be fair in how they prosecute cases and defer cases, if necessary, through community service versus a criminal prosecution, he added. We cannot, however, pursue cases which cannot be proven. By: Bryan P. Sears Election Day is Nov. 8. [email protected] Meet the candidates for Baltimore County state's attorney Scott Shellenberger Age: 63 Residence: Towson Political party: Democratic 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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