baltimore county state's attorney election

David Collins (@dcollinsWBAL) July 29, 2022 Only hundreds of votes. Were going to lose if we play defense, Haynes said. 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. WYPO 106.9 FM Ocean City, PublishedSeptember 20, 2021 at 10:22 PM EDT. 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. 53,603 ballots were sent to Baltimore . Elected officials such as Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., he noted, have endorsed his opponent. www.thebaltimorebanner.com 2022 The Baltimore Banner. 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. And the voters of Baltimore County deserve that change.. Any questions or feedback can be sent to elections@baltsun.com, or read more about the questionnaire process here. His last Republican challenger in the general election was in 2010. Learn more about supporting local journalism. This is contrary to our ethical obligation and does a disservice to victims of sexual assault if the process loses its legitimacy by inappropriate prosecutions. 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. The states attorney is elected to a four-year term and earns a salary of $216,749. Unofficial results from the Maryland State Board of Elections showed a tight race from the votes garnered during the state's early voting period, with the candidates just 64 votes apart. 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. We have, I believe, balanced the issues of prosecution and public safety very carefully, Shellenberger said. The statement came hours after The Daily Record reported that Shellenberger told his staff he needed time away from the office, citing exhaustion after the election. Leonard is the secretary of the Maryland Democratic Party. Leonard supporter Peta Richkus said his campaign generated energy that was visible throughout the county.. He is a graduate of Loch Raven High School, Loyola College and the University of Baltimore School of Law. Most of the time, Baltimore County States Attorney Scott Shellenberger does not even draw a general election challenger. As of this publishing, the two are separated by less than 1,000 votes which is just shy of two percentage points. With a larger staff, Haynes said, the office would be able to better cooperate with police in building cases and cut down on postponements. 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. Had we sent that mailer two weeks earlier, I probably would have walked away the victor. Sure it helped, said Leonard. And it recommended partnerships with organizations that have expertise and considering including victim advocates in some interviews and charging discussions. Has Maryland gone too far, or far enough, when it comes to police reform? 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%. 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. We established diversion programs for drug possession cases which seeks treatment rather than conviction. Updated: 12:28 PM EST Nov 9, 2022 TOWSON, Md. Haynes said he would neither solicit campaign donations from staff nor ask them to work the polls. Were one of the only large counties to certify its elections today, said County Elections Director Ruie Lavoie. 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 . Efforts at police reform are probably a never ending process. Violent crime, unquestionably, must be prioritized. 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 first elected in 2006. And I think he has the experience and the background to be a good states attorney., He said he supports term limits and believes that a change in leadership in these offices is necessary to bring in new ideas and perspectives. State's Attorney Republican Candidates - Vote for 1 States attorney, he said, is not a position to learn on the job. 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. He said crime and the fear of crime does not seem to be getting better. outside money that supported Leonards candidacy, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The public then expects a decision by their State's Attorney to pursue prosecution when appropriate. It noted there were continuing challenges for police and prosecutors interviewing victims with disabilities or mental health issues. Juris doctor from University of Baltimore of School of Law in 1984. One local professor said he sees the closeness of the race as a sign county voters are more open to criminal justice reforms than some previously believed. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. With the limits on resources with which I am provided, that is where my priorities will be. The more time that people had to learn about the differences between the two of us, the people chose me. For example, many people are required to get drug treatment during probation. By late Friday afternoon, Shellenberger gained a 918-vote advantage over Leonard. 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. You certainly have to be impressed with the energy and campaign that Robbie ran to challenge an incumbent, former County Executive Don Mohler, a Democrat who backed Shellenberger, said last week after Leonards strong showing on election night. What is the role of a prosecutor in seeking justice for people who may have been wrongly convicted or who received a sentence that should be reviewed due to changing circumstances? 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. 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. 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. In the countys southwest corner, there was a three-way Democratic race for the seat now held by Tom Quirk of Oella, who is stepping down. The world has changed a lot in the last four years, Jaros said. ]. Baltimore County's four-term State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger usually runs for reelection uncontested every four years. But the results took more than a week and initially Leonard led the 16-year incumbent by more than 800 votes. People in the community, he said, want to be safe from violent crime. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. I believe the large majority of the officers have earned that respect. 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. 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. Were not going to say, Well, its a stalemate. . Both promised comments when the last votes were counted. Return to Election Result Index . 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. The public deserves to know that the issues will be addressed with that promptness. 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. Soros has funded progressive prosecutor candidates around the country. County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., who was elected in 2018, faced little competition in the Democratic race. 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. 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. Law Clerks are assigned to work in one of the trial units. The Department of Justice has an important role in . . A federal judge blocked the county from using its initial map and later accepted a revised version. Past experience: Law clerk from 1982-1985 in the Baltimore County States Attorneys Office, assistant states attorney from 1985-1993. 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. Working immediately to get an innocent person freed who has been wrongly convicted is probably the most important thing a prosecutor should do. Official 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results for Baltimore County. Theres a point at which you get out of the process. I have stressed that during my time as the State's Attorney to all who work for me. He said he feels that he has a greater diversity of experience than his opponent. Tagged with: Baltimore County Elections scott shellenberger. Last updated: 08/24/2022 04:50:11 PM. No additional details on the reasons for declined criminal charges were provided. 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. The 2021 audit said it couldnt assess case outcomes at trial because of COVID-19 delays. Sign up to get the Maryland Matters Memo in your inbox every morning. The. Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger has not had a Democratic primary challenger since he was first elected in 2006. He said the close primary made him realize that he needs to more frequently publicize some of the reforms that hes implemented including putting in place a marijuana diversion program and supporting the adoption of police body cameras. His office has adopted some of the groups recommendations, such as documenting when prosecutors review police investigations, but has disagreed with others. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. News you can trust. 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. County Executive . - 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. Tilghman, of Ames United Methodist Church in Bel Air, supported the state Child Interrogation Protection Act for kids taken into police custody. 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 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