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. BALTIMORE Although the Primary Election has come and gone, some races have yet to be called. Leonard spoke frequently of racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Leonard, the first Democrat to challenge the incumbent since Shellenberger was first elected in 2006, criticized the states attorneys handling of such issues as sexual assaults, police shootings and other cases. A federal judge blocked the county from using its initial map and later accepted a revised version. His sole challenger was Adam Reuter, whose campaign focused on public schools and opposing government mandates related to COVID-19. NR: not reported: Denotes Winner of the Election. I draw the line, however, when we address violent crime where innocent people are victimized. I worked to get old sexual assault kits and available evidence tested to find serial sexual offenders. Since his election, Mr. Shellenberger has fought for justice, fairness, and accountability in the criminal justice system. 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. I really think this is all about experience, and knowing how this office works, Shellenberger said. Throughout his career, Leonard said hes represented minors and adults and served on the public defenders government relations team, where he testified on bills in the legislature. Leonard said he got tired of the status quo following the killing of George Floyd last year in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer. County prosecutors treatment of assault victims is the topic of an ongoing federal lawsuit. Shellenberger, 63, has criticized Leonard for his lack of prosecutorial experience, his party politics and perspective on criminal justice reform. Leonard said the incumbents opposition to local police reform policies mobilized him to challenge Shellenberger. 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. People in the community, he said, want to be safe from violent crime. Additionally, it found three prosecutors were consulted on the most cases, of the 56 the audit examined that named a prosecutor. Riley said hes seen firsthand how elected officials can become stale.. wont begin to be canvassed until Thursday, Live election results: Baltimore County primary results, Live election results: Maryland Gubernatorial primary, boosted by super political action committee, CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice. [Baltimore Countys top prosecutor faces a progressive challenger in his first primary fight in 16 years. Learn more about supporting local journalism. She grew up in Ocean City. All rights reserved. The strength of Leonards candidacy, I think, suggests that the public has an appetite for criminal justice reform.. Campaign website: www.haynesforbaltimorecounty.com, www.thebaltimorebanner.com 2022 The Baltimore Banner. The Baltimore Banner is a trademark registered in the U.S. for The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 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. Education: Bachelors degree in English from the University of Maryland in 1973. Tilghman said Shellenberger has not shown fairness to people of color, pointing to factors including his stance on state juvenile justice reform legislation. We cannot, however, pursue cases which cannot be proven. They cannot be called upon to live the rest of their lives unable to move on from the horror they lived through in the loss of their loved one or the crime perpetrated on them. I tend to be more moderate, said Clement, who moved back to Towson late last year, but there are good aspects to the progressive agenda of some chief prosecutors to incarcerate fewer nonviolent, low-level crimes. Throughout the Democratic campaign, Leonard sought to bring scrutiny to Shellenbergers record in office. 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. David Collins (@dcollinsWBAL) July 29, 2022 Only hundreds of votes. 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 way we catch defendants who are guilty of human trafficking is to make an arrest in a prostitution case, said Shellenberger, who clarified that that doesnt mean that that person needs to be prosecuted for prostitution.. Baltimore County's four-term State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger usually runs for reelection uncontested every four years. A civil trial is scheduled for September. In elected, Haynes said, hed make every possible effort to work with the U.S. Attorneys Office and federal law enforcement on prosecutions involving gangs, drugs and illegal guns. 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? The final unofficial votes were Shellenberger with 44,962 and Leonard with 42,847. 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.. Daily Record Government Reporter I believe the large majority of the officers have earned that respect. Published on: July 20, 2022 12:12 AM EDT|Updated on: July 22, 2022 6:28 PM EDT. But this year, his 16th in office, he has faced the most sustained criticism of his career. We established diversion programs for drug possession cases which seeks treatment rather than conviction. Working immediately to get an innocent person freed who has been wrongly convicted is probably the most important thing a prosecutor should do. Robbie Leonard and Scott Shellenberger, candidates for Baltimore County States Attorney. Some observers questioned the lackluster effort as Leonard rallied a grassroots progressive primary challenge to Shellenberger. The Baltimore Banner may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The more time that people had to learn about the differences between the two of us, the people chose me. 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. State's Attorney County Courts Building 401 Bosley Avenue, Room 511 Towson, Maryland 21204 Reception Office Room 329 Hours Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Email statesattorney@baltimorecountymd.gov Phone 410-887-6600 TTY: 410-887-2799 State's Attorney Scott D. Shellenberger Last updated: 08/24/2022 04:50:11 PM. By: Bryan P. Sears Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger is pictured in this portrait in his office on Oct. 25, 2022. 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) 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. On Tuesday, Bates, 54, of Locust Point, was elected as the next Baltimore state's attorney. One group, the Maryland Justice & Public Safety PAC, poured more than $780,000 into an effort to support Leonards candidacy with mailers, TV ads and other campaign spending. 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 Friday marked the final day of counting for mail-in and provisional ballots in Baltimore County. Shellenberger takes issue with that, saying his office has prosecuted 19 police officers for various offenses. Recently, Peisinger has also come under some scrutiny for his handling of police involved shooting incidents. He announced in May that he is running for a fifth term. News you can trust. 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. 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. McDonough faces a misdemeanor theft charge in connection with allegations he stole a Badillo campaign sign in Parkville. The 2021 audit said it couldnt assess case outcomes at trial because of COVID-19 delays. Shellenberger has frequently opposed progressive criminal justice legislation in Annapolis. 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. - 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. I have done that throughout my term as State's Attorney. Find Maryland Election Campaign & Political lawyers, attorneys, law firms - MD Election Campaign & Political Lawyers 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. While some dismissed Leonard as a long-shot candidate and were stunned by the initial results, other observers believed the contest would be close, especially toward the end of the campaign. 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 has run unsuccessfully for public office twice before, including a close state senate race he lost in 2018 to Republican Chris West. 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. 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. According to his most recent financial disclosure, he has around $22,000 in his campaign coffers. With two longtime Democratic County Council members not seeking reelection, including the only woman on the seven-member body, this years primary attracted a slew of hopefuls. The race got heated between former state delegate Pat McDonough and Darren Badillo, an auto sales manager and deacon at Rosedale Baptist Church. 72. He said that 52 Baltimore County residents testified in favor of the legislation at a public hearing. The world has changed a lot in the last four years, Jaros said. The race was marked by heavy outside spending by progressive political action committees that sought to unseat Shellenberger. She said she doesnt endorse either candidate in the race and doesnt live in Baltimore County. 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. Attorney Robbie Leonard said Monday he will challenge Shellenberger in next June's primary. ]. Rogers Forge, Baltimore County. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Shellenberger said while he often testifies in opposition to the bills as drafted, he supports reasonable reforms. He harkened back to the 2015 Maryland Second Chance Act and the 2016 Justice Reinvestment Act, both of which he supported. 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. 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. 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. 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. Were going to lose if we play defense, Haynes said. The death of George Floyd opened many eyes to the need for significant change. Marlon Tilghman, a pastor and county resident, said this week. In other cases, such as the drug trade, its international. The prosecutor, Lisa Dever, told The Sun her intent was to explain you cant know jurors past experiences or what theyll bring to a case. 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. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. WYPF 88.1 FM Frederick 'This is a big job': Leonard Takes on Shellenberger in Baltimore County State's Attorney Primary By Hannah Gaskill May 30, 2022 Getty Images. (Ex: Low-level drug offenses vs. violent crimes with victims, etc.). Sure it helped, said Leonard. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Shellenberger said he has tried to run his office in a nonpolitical way. Leonard supporter Peta Richkus said his campaign generated energy that was visible throughout the county.. 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. 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. The Sun obtained a recording of the May 16 exchange from Leonard, who also spoke in the event. 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. 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. Leonards and the PACs messaging focused heavily on Shellenbergers handling of sexual assault cases. After early voting when people showed up for eight days, I got the most votes. Baltimore County voters have made their selections in primary races for states attorney, the County Council and county executive ahead of the November general contest. Republican Tony Campbell was unopposed. The Incumbent there, Albert Peisinger is also on the verge of being ousted. 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. Rodriguez, who has been working as an advocate for the woman who confronted Shellenberger, said the reasoning for why prosecutors arent moving forward has been inconsistent. Rodriguez is a former prosecutor in Shellenbergers office and said she would have brought criminal charges against the womans attacker, based on the facts of the case. Haynes said he would neither solicit campaign donations from staff nor ask them to work the polls. 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. Return to Election Result Index . 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. We cannot ignore, however, that there are victims of low-level offenses also. 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 . Mr. Shellenberger was born and raised in Baltimore County. 53,603 ballots were sent to Baltimore . Leonard said arresting possible human trafficking victims preposterous. The states attorneys office is understaffed, he believes. 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. Leonard said that incarceration for drug offenses and prostitution doesnt work. Were not going to say, Well, its a stalemate. 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. Learn more about supporting local journalism. 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. 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%. 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. 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