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. Mr. Shellenberger was born and raised in Baltimore County. 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. Tracking prosecutorial decisions is difficult due to a lack of public reporting. Campaign website: www.scottshellenberger.com. You can unsubscribe from these alerts at anytime. Critics have targeted Shellenberger over his handling of sexual assault cases and police involved shooting incidents. 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. Shellenbergers primary win comes as he takes time away from the office. The Incumbent there, Albert Peisinger is also on the verge of being ousted. 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. Attorney at the Law Offices of Peter G. Angelos from 1993-2006. Shellenbergers tactic is to lean on the justice system. He described that practice as unprofessional, stating that its wrong to mix public service with considerations of political loyalty. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr.s attempt to end an enhanced federal benefit program early. Whoever pulls it out, looks to be headed for a General Election match-up with Republican James A. Haynes who seems to have edged out Deborah Hill. Billionaire philanthropist George Soros is listed as the only contributor to the committee in the latest state campaign finance report, donating $884,000. Sure it helped, said Leonard. Deputy States Attorney John Cox, who represented his boss, and Leonard were both present in the final hour of counting. 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%. The state's attorney is elected to a four-year term and earns a salary of $216,749. What's behind Baltimore County crime and how can the State's Attorney's office help to address those root causes? One Republican, Al Nalley, ran unopposed. Haynes, 72, of Rodgers Forge, is a retired administrative judge with the U.S. Department of Labor and a former state assistant attorney general. Now the Democratic incumbent will have a Republican challenger, and that's only if he can win the contested Democratic primary. Leonard, 40, was the first Democrat to go up against Shellenberger, 63, since the incumbent was elected in 2006. All Rights Reserved. Shellenberger takes issue with that, saying his office has prosecuted 19 police officers for various offenses. Haynes was leading the race as ballots were starting to be counted Tuesday night. Printer Friendly Version. We established diversion programs for drug possession cases which seeks treatment rather than conviction. On the other hand, Shellenberger pointed to his decision to prosecute Baltimore County Police Officer James Laboard on a charge of manslaughter in the death of Christopher Brown, 17, of Randallstown, though a jury came back with a not guilty verdict in 2013. The world has changed a lot in the last four years, Jaros said. [A top prosecutor told the task force in 2021 the office had faith in our ability to pull on our experiences within the office as to how to handle any particular investigation, and said prosecutors have a significant amount of experience and knowledge in sex offense prosecution.]. BALTIMORE -- Scott Shellenberger has garnered enough votes to maintain his position as Baltimore County state's attorney, according to election records. And its not OK for the states attorneys office to turn their back on their sworn oath.. 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. 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. Leonard supporters said the candidates platform is what attracted voters. In Gubernatorial Election years, Baltimore County voters will elect the following: Governor; Lieutenant Governor; Comptroller; Attorney General; U.S. Representative (every two years) State Senators; State Delegates; County Executive; County Council; Judges of the Circuit Court (if vacancy exists) 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.. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. My priority in running for states attorney is having a fair, transparent and accountable criminal justice system in the States Attorneys Office things that we dont have here, Leonard said. Others vying for the GOP nomination were Henry Ciezkowski, Thilo August Albert Gluck, A. Scott Pappas and Kimberley Stansbury. Learn more about supporting local journalism. 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 can unsubscribe from these alerts at anytime. Only Shellenberger and the Fraternal Order of Police appeared in opposition, according to Leonard. The Maryland PAC is affiliated with the national Justice & Public Safety PAC, which has helped fund progressive prosecutor candidates in Virginia and Pennsylvania in recent years. Both promised comments when the last votes were counted. We must be attuned to the issues from both the perspective of the man on the street and the officer on the beat. What is the most pressing issue facing the county's State's Attorney's office? BALTIMORE Although the Primary Election has come and gone, some races have yet to be called. 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. Leonard agreed that crime needs to be addressed and that residents feel unsafe. Haynes said he would neither solicit campaign donations from staff nor ask them to work the polls. Baltimore County State's Attorney. Other controversies in Baltimore Countys sexual assault investigations and prosecutions have ranged from the lack of testing and destruction of rape kits to authorities reluctance to bring criminal charges unless theres evidence a victim physically resisted. Some observers questioned the lackluster effort as Leonard rallied a grassroots progressive primary challenge to Shellenberger. Black Lives Matter and issues related to mass incarceration have sort of gone mainstream as viable, relevant issues, Jaros said. Then there is the GOP Primary battle for Harford County State's Attorney. ]. We will see with time if the appropriate balance has been reached. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. 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. The more time that people had to learn about the differences between the two of us, the people chose me. I dont like smear campaigns, said Laurel Matey, a 49-year-old Catonsville resident, referring to the ads distributed by Leonard and his supporters that cast Shellenberger in a bad light. I want to raise the level of professionalism in the office.. I worked to get old sexual assault kits and available evidence tested to find serial sexual offenders. Education: Bachelors degree in English from the University of Maryland in 1973. Past experience: Law clerk from 1982-1985 in the Baltimore County States Attorneys Office, assistant states attorney from 1985-1993. He is what youve seen: Hes a man of great character. Leonard will make his bid for Baltimore County States Attorney official on Saturday. He said at the time that law enforcement has limited resources, and often a rape suspects identity is not in question because the victim and perpetrator know each other. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Returns were incomplete Tuesday evening, with polls closing at 8 p.m. and a large number of ballots yet to be counted. The 2021 audit said it couldnt assess case outcomes at trial because of COVID-19 delays. 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. 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 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. The Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City accepts applications on a rolling basis for membership into the Honors Law Clerk Program. Lawyer, admitted to the Maryland bar. We have, I believe, balanced the issues of prosecution and public safety very carefully, Shellenberger said. Tilghman said Shellenberger has not shown fairness to people of color, pointing to factors including his stance on state juvenile justice reform legislation. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The prosecutors in this office have done a great job to be sensitive to all victims. The Baltimore Banner is a trademark registered in the U.S. for The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Leonard is the secretary of the Maryland Democratic Party. Find us in a community near year. Leonard conceded about 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon. 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. 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. NR: not reported: Denotes Winner of the Election. NR: not reported. Haynes led the primary Tuesday night. BALTIMORE Although the Primary Election has come and gone, some races have yet to be called. The Working Families Party and Progressive Maryland endorsed Robbie Leonard in the 2022 race for Baltimore County States Attorney on Tuesday. I think we have kept things fresh, even though Ive been here a long time, Shellenberger said. . Shellenberger has a close relationship with the Baltimore County Police Department, which has been questioned in the past. Sign up to get the Maryland Matters Memo in your inbox every morning. As of this publishing, the two are separated by less than 1,000 votes which is just shy of two percentage points. (WBFF) Incumbent Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger has won the Democratic primary after facing a strong challenge from progressive defense. Shellenberger said he intended to help the woman and did not want the men to sue her for claims such as false arrest. But Mohler and other Shellenberger supporters also point to the influence of outside money that supported Leonards candidacy. 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. 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. McDonough faces a misdemeanor theft charge in connection with allegations he stole a Badillo campaign sign in Parkville. Shellenberger must defend his office in a jury trial in September against allegations that it and police detectives violated a womans First Amendment rights by trying to stop her from filing criminal charges against men she said raped her. A federal judge blocked the county from using its initial map and later accepted a revised version. As states attorney, Haynes said, hed scrutinize plea agreements and make sure that assistant states attorneys were not offering them because they were unprepared for trial or lacked resources. This is not a place to learn on the job.. TurnAround, she said, is eager to work with the office on enhancing victim-centered and trauma-informed approaches to working with survivors. He said he feels that he has a greater diversity of experience than his opponent. Shellenberger wins Baltimore County states attorney primary race, Video Series: Off the Record with Sloane Brown, Baltimore City - vs. Jose Francisco Zacarias Perez, YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS/PRIVACY POLICY, Fed official: Rate hikes have begun to quell inflation, Ripken, Cooperstown baseball merge under deal with 76ers, Devils owners, Off the Record with Sloane Brown: Rene Hutchins, University of Maryland Carey School of Law. 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. He plans to hold a rally in Patriots Plaza in Towson at 2 p.m. WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore With in-person and early voting ballots tallied, Leonard held a narrow lead of 860 votes. Should certain crimes be prioritized and, if so, which? He also wants to examine the juvenile justice system. 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.. Elected officials such as Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., he noted, have endorsed his opponent. 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. He said low-level offenses should be diverted out of the criminal justice system to preserve resources for violent crime, and vowed not to prosecute cases of marijuana possession for personal use. 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. 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. All rights reserved. Shellenberger, a Towson resident, will face Republican James A. Haynes in the November general election. "The U.S. Attorney's Office will monitor the federal, state and local elections in Chicago and surrounding suburbs on Nov. 6, 2018. WYPR - 88.1 FM Baltimore | On Tuesday, Bates, 54, of Locust Point, was elected as the next Baltimore state's attorney. He faces a federal lawsuit alleging he and others in his office violated a different womans constitutional rights when she sought to press charges. 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. Name Party Early Voting Civil rights groups sued the county after last years redistricting process, alleging the plan unlawfully diluted Black residents votes. At the end of the day, Robbie garnered so much support because so many people supported his vision, Rev. Official 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results for Baltimore County. 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. Some though have been settled. (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. Theres a point at which you get out of the process. Haynes brought up the allegations in the lawsuit that led to the recent settlement. 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. 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