Today, it's Midday on the Law. Tom's guest for the hour is David Jaros, associate professor of law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and Faculty Director of the School's Center for Criminal Justice Reform.
Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby did not prevail in the primary election held last month, so she will not return to office for a third term in January. She will, however, return to federal court next month to face charges that she committed perjury when she applied to use funds from her retirement account for a down payment on some property in Florida, and that she lied on a mortgage application.
How did the indictment on these charges, which were announced in January, affect her chances in the primary, in which she placed last in a three person race? Would the charges brought against her by federal prosecutors have been brought against someone who was not a public official? Should elected leaders be held to a higher standard than the rest of us?
Mosby’s successor will be Ivan Bates. He will not face opposition in the general election in November, so he will be sworn-in as the next State’s Attorney on January 2nd. One of Marilyn Mosby’s most controversial decisions during her tenure was the decision to pursue a fifth trial in the controversial case of Keith Davis, Jr., who is accused of murdering Kevin Jones in 2015. Mr. Davis is scheduled to be tried again in May, 2023. He remains in jail, despite the fact that Ivan Bates has said he would not pursue a new trial. Will he remain there for the next five months?
And in the case of the murder of Timothy Reynolds, the bat-wielding motorist who confronted some squeegee workers near the Inner Harbor last month: is the charge of first degree murder against the 15-year-old boy who allegedly shot him the appropriate charge for this young defendant?
We'll talk about these three cases today. Professor David Jaros joins Tom in Studio A.
We’d love to hear your take, as well.
