If re-elected, Shellenberger plans to prioritize prosecuting violent crime, which has been on the rise in Baltimore County. We came up short of victory but we started a real conversation for change, he said. www.thebaltimorebanner.com 2022 The Baltimore Banner. Olszewski had a wide lead in initial returns. He described that practice as unprofessional, stating that its wrong to mix public service with considerations of political loyalty. Baltimore Countys top prosecutor faces a progressive challenger in his first primary fight in 16 years. If you say youre going to ring the bell, ring the bell, said Haynes, whos also a retired federal appellate administrative law judge. 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. By late Friday afternoon, Shellenberger gained a 918-vote advantage over Leonard. Some though have been settled. "The U.S. Attorney's Office will monitor the federal, state and local elections in Chicago and surrounding suburbs on Nov. 6, 2018. Vote-counting stretched on for more than a week because of the large number of mail-in ballots cast in Marylands primary election. I will continue to fight to get more resources to properly fund an office which can address all crime. 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. Danielle E. Gaines contributed to this report. 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. 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. Early numbers showed a very tight race, with the two separated by a fraction of a percentage point. States attorney, he said, is not a position to learn on the job. Of those, the three unnamed prosecutors brought charges in three out of 33. As I have told you, I do not believe we can prove your case, he said. Haynes said he would neither solicit campaign donations from staff nor ask them to work the polls. Soros has funded campaigns around the country to elect progressive local prosecutors. Shellenberger has said the office doesnt collect data around the number of criminal prosecutions, convictions or victim and perpetrator demographics making it challenging for observers to analyze outcomes. We must be attuned to the issues from both the perspective of the man on the street and the officer on the beat. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Past experience: Felony panel attorney with the Maryland Office of the Public Defender and U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, 1984-1987. Both promised comments when the last votes were counted. - 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. 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. 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). I am running to continue our efforts to protect all of the citizens of Baltimore County from crime. 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 woman disputed Shellenbergers suggestion that her story changed and said he told her last year he believed her allegation because she was consistent.. We need a change, Leonard said. In the state's attorney race, incumbent Scott Shellenberger has maintained a lead in recent days over challenger Robbie Leonard as mail-in votes are tallied. 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). But this year, his 16th in office, he has faced the most sustained criticism of his career. 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. Shellenberger has a close relationship with the Baltimore County Police Department, which has been questioned in the past. Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger is pictured in this portrait in his office on Oct. 25, 2022. Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4, Baltimore County Republican Central Committee, CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice. 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. It appears incumbent Democratic Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger could lose his seat to well funded progressive challenger Robbie Leonard. At the end of the day, Robbie garnered so much support because so many people supported his vision, Rev. Then there is the GOP Primary battle for Harford County State's Attorney. 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. -- Two big races played out on Election Day in Baltimore County in 2022. Additionally, it found three prosecutors were consulted on the most cases, of the 56 the audit examined that named a prosecutor. 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. Education: Bachelors degree in political science from Loyola College in 1981. Members of the BCSAO Honors Law Clerk Program are full-time benefitted employees of the BCSAO. We need to have a police department which earns and deserves the respect of all. Rodriguez said a case should move forward on its own laurels, on its own facts.. 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. Any questions or feedback can be sent to elections@baltsun.com, or read more about the questionnaire process here. Leonard said the incumbents opposition to local police reform policies mobilized him to challenge Shellenberger. McDonough faces a misdemeanor theft charge in connection with allegations he stole a Badillo campaign sign in Parkville. Shellenberger said that when the county began collecting test kit evidence, they had to make priorities as to which kits would be tested. For example, kits went untested in cases where both parties knew each other because identification wasnt an issue, he explained. We are active participants in problem solving courts in appropriate cases where the primary focus is treatment rather than incarceration. 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. 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. A civil trial is scheduled for September. The Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City accepts applications on a rolling basis for membership into the Honors Law Clerk Program. The Department of Justice has an important role in . 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. What is the most pressing issue facing the county's State's Attorney's office? Shellenberger, 63, of Towson, said his experience makes him the most qualified candidate. Shellenberger was not available for comment Tuesday night. He later changed his position, saying he saw the value in testing all kits because doing so can link suspects to other sex offenses. Hes very intelligent. Subscribers to Maryland Family Law Update can access the digital edition archive. We established diversion programs for drug possession cases which seeks treatment rather than conviction. 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.. Leonard, 40, was boosted by super political action committee the Maryland Justice & Public Safety PAC, which quickly accrued more than half a million dollars in debt to a New York-based political consultant for advertising materials to promote his campaign. 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. 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. 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. Learn more about supporting local journalism. He said it is worth prosecuting low-level crimes and that the court system is, at times, what gets someone help. Leonard, who is secretary of the Maryland Democratic Party, ran on a progressive platform with the motto, Its time for a change., After the final results were announced, Shellenberger did not respond to a request for comment, but issued a statement through his campaign. The more time that people had to learn about the differences between the two of us, the people chose me. Were often hearing from survivors that they want justice, said Rodriguez. That is about to change. Shellenberger, meanwhile, emphasized his experience prosecuting crimes and said he has supported what he calls reasonable criminal justice reform. News you can trust. Were not going to say, Well, its a stalemate. He is what youve seen: Hes a man of great character. Nonprofit. The Incumbent there, Albert Peisinger is also on the verge of being ousted. WYPR - 88.1 FM Baltimore | He said his office now requires more documentation about its decisions to approve or decline charges in similar cases. NR: not reported. Occupation: Baltimore County states attorney, 2007-present. I dont find that acceptable, but that is the reality, Shellenberger said. I have done that throughout my term as State's Attorney. For those who are guilty and a Judge has decided the appropriate sentence, we cannot ignore and must be sensitive to the victims. 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. Tagged with: Baltimore County Elections scott shellenberger. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Shellenberger takes issue with that, saying his office has prosecuted 19 police officers for various offenses. He faces a federal lawsuit alleging he and others in his office violated a different womans constitutional rights when she sought to press charges. No additional details on the reasons for declined criminal charges were provided. July 29, 2022. Apr 2013 - Sep 20141 year 6 months. Tracking prosecutorial decisions is difficult due to a lack of public reporting. Leonard conceded about 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon. Find us in a community near year. Reached by phone Tuesday night, Leonard said that he knew the election wouldnt be decided until mail-in ballots are counted. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Leonard has been a practicing attorney for 15 years and served as a public defender in Baltimore City. 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. 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.. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, some scrutiny for his handling of police involved shooting incidents. Shellenberger told The Sun he spoke with Dever and said it was a wrong thing to say to a victim.. Early voting ends Nov. 3. No one thought we could take on a 16-year incumbent but look what we accomplished, said Leonard. It noted there were continuing challenges for police and prosecutors interviewing victims with disabilities or mental health issues. We have, I believe, balanced the issues of prosecution and public safety very carefully, Shellenberger said. Do voters want change? He was ahead as votes started to be counted Tuesday night. Crime, he said, is regional. 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. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Baltimore County's four-term State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger usually runs for reelection uncontested every four years. 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. No Republican has challenged Shellenberger in the general election since 2010. Especially for State's Attorney in Baltimore and Harford Counties. He ran on a progressive platform and portrayed Shellenberger as out of step with todays Democrats on issues such as police reform. 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 also spoke in June at a virtual town hall hosted by 1199SEIU, a health care union that endorsed Leonard, in partnership with the a new group called Legal Justice Alliance of Baltimore County. The states attorneys office is understaffed, he believes. 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. Pat Young was ahead of candidates Paul Dongarra and Danielle Nicole Singley in early returns. In the race to be the countys top prosecutor, Baltimore County States Attorney Scott Shellenberger faced an aggressive primary challenge from Robbie Leonard as he sought a fifth term. Attorney at the Law Offices of Peter G. Angelos from 1993-2006. 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. 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? Weve got to prosecute the bad guys and sometimes its going to be the police.. On election day I got the most votes. Riley said hes seen firsthand how elected officials can become stale.. But Mohler and other Shellenberger supporters also point to the influence of outside money that supported Leonards candidacy. 'This is a big job': Leonard Takes on Shellenberger in Baltimore County State's Attorney Primary By Hannah Gaskill May 30, 2022 Getty Images. 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