Marilyn Mosby's Law Career: What's Next?

Marilyn Mosby is an American politician and lawyer who served as the State's Attorney of Baltimore from 2015 to 2023. She rose to prominence in 2015 when she charged six police officers for crimes ranging from misconduct in office to second-degree depraved-heart murder in the killing of Freddie Gray. In 2023, Mosby was declared indigent and was assigned a public defender. She was convicted of two counts of perjury and one count of mortgage fraud in February 2024. Despite facing potential discipline and court filings seeking to prevent her from practicing law, the Maryland Supreme Court ruled that Mosby could keep her law license while she appeals her convictions. This has sparked debates about whether she should be allowed to continue practicing law during the appeals process.

Marilyn Mosby's perjury and fraud convictions

Marilyn Mosby, the former Baltimore State's Attorney, was convicted of perjury and mortgage fraud in February 2024. The perjury charges were due to Mosby financially exploiting a COVID-19 pandemic relief program, while the mortgage fraud conviction was related to a deceptive $5,000 gift letter from her then-husband, Nick Mosby.

Mosby was sentenced to three years of supervised release, with one year of home detention, and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. She faced a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of the two counts of perjury. However, the Maryland Supreme Court ruled that Mosby could keep her law license while she appeals her convictions.

Mosby has maintained her innocence and has asked for a presidential pardon, asserting that she was ""politically targeted." She has filed an appeal, claiming that her convictions were the result of a prosecution that was "ill-advised and ill-conceived from the beginning." The appeal also seeks to prevent the government from seizing her vacation condo on Florida's Gulf Coast.

The Maryland Supreme Court's ruling

The Maryland Supreme Court ruled that former Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who served as the city's top prosecutor from 2015 to 2023, will be allowed to keep her law license and continue practicing law while she appeals her perjury and mortgage fraud convictions. This decision was made despite Mosby's indictment and conviction on two counts of perjury and one count of making a false statement on a mortgage application. The perjury charges stemmed from financially exploiting a COVID-19 pandemic relief program, while the fraud case involved mortgage fraud in the purchase of two properties in Florida.

The ruling by the Maryland Supreme Court denied a request from the Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland to immediately suspend Mosby's law license. The Commission had argued that Mosby's conviction on a serious crime violated ethics rules for attorneys in the state and that she posed an unacceptable risk of harm to the public if allowed to continue practicing law. However, the justices of the Maryland Supreme Court disagreed and allowed Mosby to retain her law license during the appeals process.

Mosby's case has attracted significant attention, with some of her actions as a prosecutor being praised for calming community tensions, such as in the Freddie Gray case, where she charged six police officers involved in his arrest. On the other hand, she has also faced criticism and been labelled a \"rogue prosecutor\" by some, who argue that her policies contributed to an increase in violent crime in Baltimore.

The disciplinary case against Mosby will be heard by Baltimore Circuit Judge Yvette M. Bryant after the appeals process is complete. In the meantime, Mosby has avoided prison time and has been sentenced to three years of supervised release, with one year of home detention, and 100 hours of community service. She continues to maintain her innocence and has requested a presidential pardon.

Mosby's potential suspension from practicing law

Marilyn Mosby, a lawyer and politician, served as the State's Attorney of Baltimore from 2015 to 2023. She gained national attention for leading a highly publicized investigation and unsuccessful murder prosecution of police officers involved in the killing of Freddie Gray in 2015.

Mosby has faced legal troubles of her own, including charges of perjury and mortgage fraud. In November 2023, she was convicted on two counts of perjury, and in February 2024, she was convicted of making a false statement on a mortgage application. These convictions carry potential prison sentences, and Mosby has declared her innocence and requested a presidential pardon.

Amid these convictions, Mosby faced the potential suspension of her law license by the Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland. They argued that her convictions violated ethics rules for attorneys and that she posed an "unacceptable risk of harm to the public" if allowed to continue practicing law. The Maryland Supreme Court, however, ruled in July 2024 that Mosby could retain her law license while appealing her convictions. This decision was met with criticism and concern, with some arguing that it undermines public trust in the legal profession and the justice system.

The disciplinary case against Mosby will continue after the appeals process. If her appeals are unsuccessful and her convictions stand, the Maryland Supreme Court or the Attorney Grievance Commission may revisit the decision to temporarily suspend her law license. This could result in a temporary or permanent suspension, impacting her ability to represent clients, work in a law office, or engage in other legal practices.

Mosby's defence team withdrawing

Marilyn Mosby, the former Baltimore State's Attorney, was federally indicted on two counts of perjury and one count of false mortgage application charges. She was convicted on two counts of perjury on November 9, 2023, and faced five years in federal prison for each count. On February 6, 2024, she was also convicted on one count of making a false statement on a mortgage application.

In January 2023, Mosby's defense team filed a motion to withdraw from the case, citing conflicts of interest. The defense team, including lead attorney A. Scott Bolden, Rizwan A. Qureshi, Kelley Miller, Anthony R. Todd, Gary E. Proctor, and Lucius Outlaw III, requested a public defender be assigned to Mosby. They stated that Bolden faced criminal contempt of court charges for his conduct, including using profanities on the courthouse steps and releasing secret jury information. The prosecutors disagreed, arguing that there was no conflict of interest and that the withdrawal would cause unnecessary delays.

The judge, U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby, ultimately granted the motion, allowing all six defense lawyers to withdraw. She acknowledged the potential disruption but agreed that there was good cause for the withdrawal due to the conflicts of interest. As a result, Mosby's trial was rescheduled for November, and she was assigned a federal public defender, James Wyda.

Despite her convictions, the Maryland Supreme Court ruled that Mosby could keep her law license while she appeals the decisions. The Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland had requested her law license be immediately suspended due to the seriousness of her crimes, which violated ethics rules for attorneys. However, the Supreme Court denied this request, allowing Mosby to continue practicing law during the appeals process.

Mosby's financial situation

Marilyn Mosby, the former Baltimore City State's Attorney, faced financial troubles in 2020, despite earning a gross salary of over $247,000 that year. She claimed that the COVID-19 pandemic affected her travel company, Mahogany Elite Consulting LLC, which she had launched in 2019. As a result, she made two hardship withdrawals totalling $90,000 from her retirement account under the CARES Act. This led to her conviction for perjury and mortgage fraud.

Mosby and her husband, Nick Mosby, also faced financial issues in 2020, with a $45,000 federal tax lien filed against their property for three years of unpaid federal taxes (2014, 2015, and 2016). Nick stated that he was in discussions with the IRS to resolve the matter, and later claimed that it had been settled.

In addition to her financial troubles, Mosby faced criticism for her frequent speaking engagements and private businesses. She requested an investigation by the city Inspector General, Isabel Mercedes Cumming, who found that Mosby had been out of town for 144 workdays in 2018 and 2019 and had not reported 15 out-of-town trips to the Board of Estimates.

Despite her convictions and financial woes, Mosby avoided prison time and was sentenced to three years of supervised release, including one year of home detention, and 100 hours of community service. She maintained her innocence and requested a pardon from President Joe Biden, asserting that she had been politically targeted.

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