Name Party Early Voting It is also crucial to examine policy outcomes to make them race-neutral.. -- Two big races played out on Election Day in Baltimore County in 2022. 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.. 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. With the limits on resources with which I am provided, that is where my priorities will be. Scott Shellenberger won the Baltimore County States Attorney's race according to Baltimore Co Bd of Elections. Leonard supporter Peta Richkus said his campaign generated energy that was visible throughout the county.. He described that practice as unprofessional, stating that its wrong to mix public service with considerations of political loyalty. 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. But when counting of mail-in ballots started later that week, Shellenberger closed the gap and then gained ground. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr.s attempt to end an enhanced federal benefit program early. HUNT VALLEY Baltimore County's incumbent state's attorney beat back an upstart primary challenger and will move on to the November general election. He said he wouldnt discuss details because I dont think its fair to her, but alluded to what she told police and the timing of the report. The Baltimore Banner may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Education: Bachelors degree in English from the University of Maryland in 1973. If you say youre going to fight crime, fight crime.. He noted that he hires new assistant states attorneys and frequently speaks with his elected counterparts through his involvement with the Maryland States Attorneys Association. Shellenberger said he has tried to run his office in a nonpolitical way. The State Board of Elections provides all eligible citizens of the State convenient access to voter registration; provides all registered voters accessible locations in which they may exercise their right to vote, to ensure uniformity of election practices; to promote fair and equitable elections; and to maintain registration records, campaign fund reports, and other election-related data accurately and in a form that is accessible to the public. Learn more about supporting local journalism. Subscribers to Maryland Family Law Update can access the digital edition archive. He said hed hire ethics counsel to both keep people out of trouble and help assistant states attorneys do their best work. Early numbers showed a very tight race, with the two separated by a fraction of a percentage point. Official 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results for Baltimore County. People in the community, he said, want to be safe from violent crime. Updated: 12:28 PM EST Nov 9, 2022 TOWSON, Md. We must endeavor to address the root causes of crime and help those driven by issues often out of their control. 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. All Rights Reserved. Nonprofit. Incumbent Scott Shellenberger gained ground in the Democratic primary race for Baltimore County state's attorney as mail-in ballots are tallied, taking a narrow lead Friday over. 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. Shellenberger opposed the legislation. We have a very robust program thats been going on for a couple years now to get caught up on this, so I think I think were doing a better job there, he said. Where do you see room for improvement in how sexual assault survivors are treated by law enforcement and prosecutors? Law Clerks are assigned to work in one of the trial units. Shellenbergers primary win comes as he takes time away from the office. We cannot ignore, however, that there are victims of low-level offenses also. For those who are guilty and a Judge has decided the appropriate sentence, we cannot ignore and must be sensitive to the victims. Published on: October 27, 2022 6:00 AM EDT|Updated on: October 27, 2022 9:21 AM EDT. Haynes has called himself "a political. Weve got to prosecute the bad guys and sometimes its going to be the police.. He is a graduate of Loch Raven High School, Loyola College and the University of Baltimore School of Law. 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. Some areas, though, recently saw an uptick in homicides at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 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 2019, state and local lawmakers passed bills to fund testing of previously untested kits and set standards for testing kits in the future. Baltimore Sun Media's voter guide allows candidates to provide their background, policy and platforms on issues, in their own words. Baltimore County States Attorney Scott Shellenberger has survived an aggressive primary challenge in a race that offered voters contrasting visions of what a top prosecutors priorities should be. 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. 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. 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. 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. I am running to continue our efforts to protect all of the citizens of Baltimore County from crime. As of this publishing, the two are separated by less than 1,000 votes which is just shy of two percentage points. He criticized Shellenbergers handling of sexual assaults and police shootings, and his stance on reform legislation in Annapolis, where he has had an influential voice on criminal justice issues. Many different voices made themselves heard throughout the course of this primary election, and I was heartened by the instances when the issues were fairly discussed and debated, he said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By, Wavelength: Baltimore's Public Radio Journey, One Day at a Time: In Recovery in Baltimore, Celebrating 20 Years of Commitment to Community. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. 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. And recent attack ads against Shellenberger airing on televisions and mailed to homes have focused on sexual assaults. Visit the SUBSCRIBE page to sign up for our morning newsletter. Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger has not had a Democratic primary challenger since he was first elected in 2006. I believe the large majority of the officers have earned that respect. Imagine any other victim of a crime where we would say, in order to capture the real bad guy, we need to lock you up, put handcuffs on you and make you stand in front of a judge.. He later changed his position, saying he saw the value in testing all kits because doing so can link suspects to other sex offenses. Baltimore, Maryland Area. That doesnt mean that everybody goes to jail, he said. On the final day of counting,. BALTIMORE Although the Primary Election has come and gone, some races have yet to be called. These cookies do not store any personal information. WYPF 88.1 FM Frederick
Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, some scrutiny for his handling of police involved shooting incidents. Elected officials such as Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., he noted, have endorsed his opponent. Shellenberger, a Towson resident, will face Republican James A. Haynes in the November general election. 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. 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. There is no Democratic candidate running for State's Attorney in Harford County. State's Attorney Republican Candidates - Vote for 1 Thats what I was trying to do, and Im sorry she took it to be anything other than what it was, Dever said. Baltimore County State's Attorney is challenged on prosecution . The Baltimore Banner may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. He said it is worth prosecuting low-level crimes and that the court system is, at times, what gets someone help. Nonpartisan. Additionally, it found three prosecutors were consulted on the most cases, of the 56 the audit examined that named a prosecutor. 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. 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. Its paramount that the states attorneys office for Baltimore County creates written guidelines for prosecuting sexual assaults and to follow national best practices as recommended by a 2019 task force. Has Maryland gone too far, or far enough, when it comes to police reform? outside money that supported Leonards candidacy, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. 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. Friday marked the final day of counting for mail-in and provisional ballots in Baltimore County. Leonard is the secretary of the Maryland Democratic Party. Review of sentences is another issue. WYPR - 88.1 FM Baltimore | July 29, 2022. Of those, the three unnamed prosecutors brought charges in three out of 33. With a larger staff, Haynes said, the office would be able to better cooperate with police in building cases and cut down on postponements. Printer Friendly Version. Leonard spoke frequently of racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Our nonprofit news organization is made possible by, Select the type of alerts youd like to receive, Browsers such as Chrome, Safari, and Firefox, Get text messages from The Banner in urgent situations (message and data rates may apply). The Baltimore County Board of Elections certified the county's results Friday, following a week of counting thousands of mail-in and provisional ballots. A judge ruled in a hearing on Tuesday that the perjury and mortgage fraud trial for former Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby will remain in Baltimore despite attempts to move it. 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. Working immediately to get an innocent person freed who has been wrongly convicted is probably the most important thing a prosecutor should do. Rodriguez said a case should move forward on its own laurels, on its own facts.. I have fought over all my years as State's Attorney to be responsive to all victims. The Working Families Party and Progressive Maryland endorsed Robbie Leonard in the 2022 race for Baltimore County States Attorney on Tuesday. 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. 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. With roughly 35,000 Baltimore County ballots yet to be counted, the Democratic primary for state's attorney was extremely close Tuesday night, with hundreds of votes separating attorney and Maryland Democratic Party Secretary Robbie Leonard and longtime incumbent Scott Shellenberger. She said she doesnt endorse either candidate in the race and doesnt live in Baltimore County. 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. Since his election, Mr. Shellenberger has fought for justice, fairness, and accountability in the criminal justice system. County prosecutors treatment of assault victims is the topic of an ongoing federal lawsuit. Why would we deny the fact that mail that told voters exactly what the differences between the candidates were the good things about me, the things the incumbent needed to improve upon, said Leonard. The district covering areas such as Overlea, Parkville, Rosedale and Towson drew five candidates, the most of any district. 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. 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. But in the days that followed, Leonard saw his lead eroded as more than 87,000 mail-in votes were counted. Juris doctor from University of Baltimore of School of Law in 1984. (Ex: Low-level drug offenses vs. violent crimes with victims, etc.). We just work cooperatively toward that goal.. The world has changed a lot in the last four years, Jaros said. You can unsubscribe from these alerts at anytime. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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. 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. Early numbers showed a close race between Democrats Shafiyq Hinton and Mike Ertel for the seat now held by Cathy Bevins of Middle River. County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., who was elected in 2018, faced little competition in the Democratic race. 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 death of George Floyd opened many eyes to the need for significant change. With in-person and early voting ballots tallied, Leonard held a narrow lead of 860 votes. Shellenberger has cruised to reelection for more than a decade. The race got heated between former state delegate Pat McDonough and Darren Badillo, an auto sales manager and deacon at Rosedale Baptist Church. What's behind Baltimore County crime and how can the State's Attorney's office help to address those root causes? Before pursuing journalism, she received her bachelors of fine art degree from Carnegie Mellon University in 2016. I am committed to fight for the victims and a hope for peace in their lives after my office has achieved justice for them. Sign up to get the Maryland Matters Memo in your inbox every morning. The Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City accepts applications on a rolling basis for membership into the Honors Law Clerk Program. Shellenberger has frequently opposed progressive criminal justice legislation in Annapolis. Vote-counting stretched on for more than a week because of the large number of mail-in ballots cast in Marylands primary election. Danielle E. Gaines contributed to this report. 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. 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. We will see with time if the appropriate balance has been reached. Find Maryland Election Campaign & Political lawyers, attorneys, law firms - MD Election Campaign & Political Lawyers 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%. 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. 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. The prosecutors in this office have done a great job to be sensitive to all victims. A county task force formed in 2019 to examine sexual assault investigations identified the topic as an issue for the office, which includes Shellenberger and prosecutors. Haynes, 72, of Rodgers Forge, is a retired administrative judge with the U.S. Department of Labor and a former state assistant attorney general. "The U.S. Attorney's Office will monitor the federal, state and local elections in Chicago and surrounding suburbs on Nov. 6, 2018. No point in refreshing my browser window all night long when I could be catching some Zs, he said. 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. Crime, he said, is regional. This is accomplished by the existence of a thorough and impartial investigation. 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. His sole challenger was Adam Reuter, whose campaign focused on public schools and opposing government mandates related to COVID-19. 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. State's Attorney (Vote for One) This table may scroll left to right depending on the screen size of your device. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Shellenberger, who once led the division that prosecutes sex crimes, described sexual assaults as probably the most difficult cases for prosecutors in an interview with The Baltimore Sun about his campaign. Then there is the GOP Primary battle for Harford County State's Attorney. 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. 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