. We established diversion programs for drug possession cases which seeks treatment rather than conviction. Only Shellenberger and the Fraternal Order of Police appeared in opposition, according to Leonard. He has emphasized positive steps made in response to criticisms, such as increased testing of rape kits. Its important for the courts to get involved so that they can assist defendants in getting the help that they need, sometimes by making it a condition of probation.. She grew up in Ocean City. 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. Leonard said arresting possible human trafficking victims preposterous. He said hed hire ethics counsel to both keep people out of trouble and help assistant states attorneys do their best work. 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. They deserve some finality. 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. Black Lives Matter and issues related to mass incarceration have sort of gone mainstream as viable, relevant issues, Jaros said. Witnesses and victims of crime do not get paid to come to court, Haynes said. The council elections took place under a newly drawn political map. Published on: October 27, 2022 6:00 AM EDT|Updated on: October 27, 2022 9:21 AM EDT. Find Maryland Election Campaign & Political lawyers, attorneys, law firms - MD Election Campaign & Political Lawyers Leonard, 40, was the first Democrat to go up against Shellenberger, 63, since the incumbent was elected in 2006. And it recommended partnerships with organizations that have expertise and considering including victim advocates in some interviews and charging discussions. He plans to hold a rally in Patriots Plaza in Towson at 2 p.m. WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore She said she doesnt endorse either candidate in the race and doesnt live in Baltimore County. Riley said he helped the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee recruit Haynes to run and agreed to serve as the chairperson of his campaign. Scott Shellenberger won the Baltimore County States Attorney's race according to Baltimore Co Bd of Elections. With the limits on resources with which I am provided, that is where my priorities will be. The public then expects a decision by their State's Attorney to pursue prosecution when appropriate. 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. That in itself, I think, is horrific.. I was always on the opposite side of every issue from the current Baltimore County States Attorney Scott Shellenberger, he said. 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. WYPF 88.1 FM Frederick No Republican has challenged Shellenberger in the general election since 2010. Education: Bachelors degree in English from the University of Maryland in 1973. Tracking prosecutorial decisions is difficult due to a lack of public reporting. Haynes, 72, of Rodgers Forge, is a retired administrative judge with the U.S. Department of Labor and a former state assistant attorney general. Printer Friendly Version. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. 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 . I am absolutely committed to that. People in the community, he said, want to be safe from violent crime. But he and his prosecutors have faced questions about their decision-making on charging perpetrators, particularly when the victim did not report an assault right away or was intoxicated when it happened. Baltimore County State's Attorney is challenged on prosecution . Amanda Rodriguez, the executive director of the nonpartisan advocacy group TurnAround Inc., said there absolutely has to be a change in how sexual assaults are prosecuted in Baltimore County, regardless of who wins the election. He said it is worth prosecuting low-level crimes and that the court system is, at times, what gets someone help. 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. ), Voting stations are set up for the primary election at the Kentucky Exposition Center, Monday, June 22, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. With one polling place designated for Louisville on Tuesday, voters who didnt cast mail-in ballots could potentially face long lines in Kentuckys unprecedented primary election. By late Friday afternoon, Shellenberger gained a 918-vote advantage over Leonard. Patoka had a large lead in early returns, as did other council members who faced primary challengers: Republicans Todd Crandell of Dundalk, Wade Kach of Cockesyville, and David Marks of Perry Hall. Shellenberger was not available for comment Tuesday night. 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.. 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. The states attorneys office is understaffed, he believes. Friday marked the final day of counting for mail-in and provisional ballots in Baltimore County. Retired from the US Department of Labor as Appellate . Ten days after Election Day, Shellenberger officially prevailed Friday in the Democratic contest between him and Robbie Leonard, a former public defender who is now an attorney in private practice. His office issued a statement Thursday saying he plans to return the week after next, and is still in consistent contact with staff and making management decisions. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. The police department shrugs off and blows off so many claims of rape and sexual assault because they know that theres no point in arresting someone because Mr. Shellenberger is just going to dismiss the case, he alleged. 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. 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. He vowed to continue to seek the fair administration of justice for and the protection of anyone residing in or visiting Baltimore County.. The political action committee spent hundreds of thousands on mailings and ads in support of Leonard. The. He said he believes that a comment that he made at a forum about the homicide rate being relatively stable has been misconstrued. Longtime Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger's record on handling sexual assault cases is in the spotlight as he seeks a fifth term as the county's top prosecutor.. At the same time, they see that theres no accountability in the police department, and theres no accountability in the States Attorneys Office, he said. 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. After the Maryland Justice & Public Safety PACs financial support was disclosed, the incumbent said hed heard from voters who didnt think a billionaire who doesnt live in Baltimore County should be telling us who the states attorney should be, referring to George Soros, who pumps money into the national Justice & Public Safety PAC and dozens of similarly-named groups that support reformist candidates in local chief prosecutors races across the U.S. Baltimore Banner reporters Taji Burris and Sophie Kasakove contributed to this article. But Mohler and other Shellenberger supporters also point to the influence of outside money that supported Leonards candidacy. David Folderauer, president of the Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4, which has endorsed Shellenberger, said its members have worked with him for years and are impressed with how he runs his office. He is a graduate of Loch Raven High School, Loyola College and the University of Baltimore School of Law. That included Democrat Izzy Patoka of Pikesville. In other cases, such as the drug trade, its international. -- Two big races played out on Election Day in Baltimore County in 2022. 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 When they counted provisional ballots, I got the most votes. A civil trial is scheduled for September. And the voters of Baltimore County deserve that change.. I want to raise the level of professionalism in the office.. Shellenberger has a close relationship with the Baltimore County Police Department, which has been questioned in the past. 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. On election night, it looked like Shellenberger could be unseated after 15 years in office. News you can trust. 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. Shellenberger said he intended to help the woman and did not want the men to sue her for claims such as false arrest. Weve got to prosecute the bad guys and sometimes its going to be the police.. Acie Spencer, 55, said he voted for Shellenberger and other incumbents who he says have run their offices effectively. HUNT VALLEY, Md. Our job is to strive to always do the right thing. 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. Occupation: Baltimore County states attorney, 2007-present. 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.
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