Attorney Robbie Leonard said Monday he will challenge Shellenberger in next Junes primary. 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. This is a place where I was well prepared when I first came into office and am even more prepared to continue to lead the office now, he added. It is among dozens of groups pumping money into local races for head prosecutor across the U.S. and funded generously by New York billionaire George Soros and groups associated with him. In the race to be the countys top prosecutor, Baltimore County States Attorney Scott Shellenberger faced an aggressive primary challenge from Robbie Leonard as he sought a fifth term. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Both promised comments when the last votes were counted. By late Friday afternoon, Shellenberger gained a 918-vote advantage over Leonard. On election night, it looked like Shellenberger could be unseated after 15 years in office. His office has adopted some of the groups recommendations, such as documenting when prosecutors review police investigations, but has disagreed with others. The strength of Leonards candidacy, I think, suggests that the public has an appetite for criminal justice reform.. Do voters want change? After early voting when people showed up for eight days, I got the most votes. We have succeeded over the years to get the Maryland Legislature to change many antiquated laws which allowed some sex offenders to get away with their crimes. The Baltimore Sun typically does not name people who say they are victims of sexual assault. Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4, Baltimore County Republican Central Committee, CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice. 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. 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The Baltimore Banner may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. He was challenged by Tony Fugett, who was one of an unprecedented number of Black candidates across the county to run for council after the redistricting lawsuit. - 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. 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 . I tend to be more moderate, said Clement, who moved back to Towson late last year, but there are good aspects to the progressive agenda of some chief prosecutors to incarcerate fewer nonviolent, low-level crimes. But in the days that followed, Leonard saw his lead eroded as more than 87,000 mail-in votes were counted. He is what youve seen: Hes a man of great character. Assistant State's Attorney. Sign up to get the Maryland Matters Memo in your inbox every morning. Shellenberger, 63, of Towson, said his experience makes him the most qualified candidate. There is no Democratic candidate running for State's Attorney in Harford County. The Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City accepts applications on a rolling basis for membership into the Honors Law Clerk Program. She hopes to see more transparency in case data, such as publicly available information to examine any trends around victim demographics or the outcomes of prosecutors review, she said. 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. The 2021 audit said it couldnt assess case outcomes at trial because of COVID-19 delays. Rodriguez said a case should move forward on its own laurels, on its own facts.. Assistant attorney general and then trial attorney who handled insurance defense work for the same agency under different names, the State Accident Fund, Injured Workers Insurance Fund, and currently Chesapeake Employers Insurance, from 1987-2006. Official 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results for Baltimore County. Robbie Leonard, an attorney in private practice who is challenging Shellenberger in Tuesdays Democratic primary, said that if elected, he would want to improve trauma-informed strategies used by staff and attorneys who communicate with victims, and to collaborate with groups that advocate for survivors. Shellenberger was not available for comment Tuesday night. Name Party Early Voting These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Leonard, who is secretary of the Maryland Democratic Party, ran on a progressive platform with the motto, Its time for a change., After the final results were announced, Shellenberger did not respond to a request for comment, but issued a statement through his campaign. By: Bryan P. Sears Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger has not had a Democratic primary challenger since he was first elected in 2006. 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. I had known for over a decade who Scott was and what he stood for, but it was at that moment that I realized how out of touch he is with the people that hes supposed to be representing and how out of touch he is in the pursuit of justice and fairness, he said. They deserve some finality. Tagged with: Baltimore County Elections scott shellenberger. It is clear from the years I have been a prosecutor that the root of most crime is in drug addiction, alcohol abuse or mental health issues. A woman confronted Shellenberger at a local Democratic club meeting in mid-May to ask why prosecutors did not bring criminal charges in her 2018 rape case. It appears incumbent Democratic Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger could lose his seat to well funded progressive challenger Robbie Leonard. 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. Haynes led the primary Tuesday night. 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. Cox initially said he would offer some comment but left without speaking to reporters after the results were announced. The race was marked by heavy outside spending by progressive political action committees that sought to unseat Shellenberger. outside money that supported Leonards candidacy, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Marlon Tilghman, a pastor and county resident, said this week. Haynes, 72, of Towson, said he has practiced in circuit courts throughout the state as well as briefed and argued cases before the Maryland Court of Special Appeals and the Maryland Court of Appeals. 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. Election Day is Nov. 8. dylan.segelbaum@thebaltimorebanner.com Meet the candidates for Baltimore County state's attorney Scott Shellenberger Age: 63 Residence: Towson Political party: Democratic We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. But Mohler and other Shellenberger supporters also point to the influence of outside money that supported Leonards candidacy. The. Violent crime, unquestionably, must be prioritized. County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., who was elected in 2018, faced little competition in the Democratic race. 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. James A. Haynes. . Shellenberger: 30,449 Leonard: 29,531 There remains 28,000 more mail-in ballots to process that Baltimore. Shellenbergers tactic is to lean on the justice system. Elected officials such as Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., he noted, have endorsed his opponent. 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. I have never shied away from pursuing police officers when they have committed crimes which can be proven. Members of the BCSAO Honors Law Clerk Program are full-time benefitted employees of the BCSAO. Baltimore Sun Media's voter guide allows candidates to provide their background, policy and platforms on issues, in their own words. 'This is a big job': Leonard Takes on Shellenberger in Baltimore County State's Attorney Primary By Hannah Gaskill May 30, 2022 Getty Images. We just work cooperatively toward that goal.. Shellenberger, a Towson resident, will face Republican James A. Haynes in the November general election. McDonough faces a misdemeanor theft charge in connection with allegations he stole a Badillo campaign sign in Parkville. Haynes has called himself a political outsider.. Find us in a community near year. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Shellenberger painted Leonard, who has never been a prosecutor, as unprepared for the office. During his tenure, Shellenberger has faced criticism for how his office has handled sex crimes and declined to charge some police officers who have used deadly force. With a larger staff, Haynes said, the office would be able to better cooperate with police in building cases and cut down on postponements. So what we learned in this campaignwe just have to start earlier in making that contrast between the candidates. 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. But Haynes said the incumbent is not doing enough to address violent crime. He plans to hold a rally in Patriots Plaza in Towson at 2 p.m. WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore
. This is a big job and I certainly think that Ive proven over the years that Im up to continuing to do it, said Shellenberger. Hannah Gaskill received her masters of journalism degree in December 2019 from the University of Maryland. 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. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Throughout the Democratic campaign, Leonard sought to bring scrutiny to Shellenbergers record in office. The states attorney is elected to a four-year term and earns a salary of $216,749. Find Maryland Election Campaign & Political lawyers, attorneys, law firms - MD Election Campaign & Political Lawyers Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. On the final day of counting, incumbent Scott Shellenberger added 182 votes to his nearly 2,000 vote lead and edged out Robbie Leonard. The death of George Floyd opened many eyes to the need for significant change. Some though have been settled. The more time that people had to learn about the differences between the two of us, the people chose me. Haynes, 72, of Rodgers Forge, is a retired administrative judge with the U.S. Department of Labor and a former state assistant attorney general. He said he loves his job and believes that the office contributes a lot toward keeping people safe. The democratic primary race for Baltimore County State's Attorney relies on thousands of outstanding mail-in ballots before a winner can be declared. The public perception of the criminal justice system. I guess the easiest way to put it is, in this instance if it aint broke, dont fix it, said Spencer, about his support for Shellenberger. 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. Incumbent Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger, left, a Democrat, and Jim Haynes, right, a Republican, are running against each other. Nonpartisan. Were going to lose if we play defense, Haynes said. We came up short of victory, but we started a real conversation for change, said Leonard, speaking to reporters at the county Board of Elections building. (AP Photo/Piper Blackburn). In the Democratic primary, Leonard has garnered an impressive list of endorsements so far, including from the Teachers Association of Baltimore County, Our Revolution, The Working Families Party, Progressive Maryland, CASA in Action and several labor unions. NR: not reported. 53,603 ballots were sent to Baltimore . 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. Longtime Baltimore County States Attorney Scott Shellenbergers record on handling sexual assault cases is in the spotlight as he seeks a fifth term as the countys top prosecutor. How crazy is that? he said. Critics have targeted Shellenberger over his handling of sexual assault cases and police involved shooting incidents. Published on: October 27, 2022 6:00 AM EDT|Updated on: October 27, 2022 9:21 AM EDT. We have, I believe, balanced the issues of prosecution and public safety very carefully, Shellenberger said. [Baltimore Countys top prosecutor faces a progressive challenger in his first primary fight in 16 years. The Democratic nominee will face either Republicans James A. Haynes or Deborah Hill in the November general election. Leonard, 40, was boosted by super political action committee the Maryland Justice & Public Safety PAC, which quickly accrued more than half a million dollars in debt to a New York-based political consultant for advertising materials to promote his campaign. Last updated: 08/24/2022 04:50:11 PM. The Department of Justice has an important role in . He pointed to the murder of George Floyd, the Freddie Gray case and the Gun Trace Task Force scandal. Weve got to prosecute the bad guys and sometimes its going to be the police.. 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. 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.
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