Former Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby narrowly avoided jail time on Thursday, receiving a sentence of home detention and supervised release after being convicted of perjury and mortgage fraud.
According to the Baltimore Sun, U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby sentenced Mosby to one year of home detention followed by three years of supervised release. This sentence came despite prosecutors advocating for a 20-month prison term for the former state's attorney.
Mosby's sentencing hearing, which took place after a forfeiture hearing, saw the culmination of legal battles that had garnered significant public attention. Previously, Mosby was convicted of mortgage fraud, specifically for making false statements on loan applications to purchase two vacation homes in Florida. In November, a federal jury found her guilty of two counts of perjury for falsely claiming financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic to withdraw funds from the city's retirement account.
The nearly four-hour hearing saw impassioned pleas from both sides. Mosby's attorneys sought probation for their client, arguing that her actions did not warrant incarceration. Prosecutors, however, pushed for a more stringent sentence, emphasizing the severity of her crimes. Mosby has consistently maintained her innocence, declaring, "I've done nothing wrong. I've done nothing illegal and nothing criminal."
Notably, a jury acquitted Mosby of a second mortgage fraud charge in February, adding a layer of complexity to her legal narrative. Mosby has framed her prosecution as politically and racially motivated, asserting that she was targeted by the Trump administration.
She has since petitioned President Biden for a pardon, with her application stating, "While pardon applications generally express remorse and regret, what happens when justice was not served and, in fact, denied? No such remorse and regret is appropriate in this case."
Her campaign for clemency has garnered support from notable figures and organizations, including the Congressional Black Caucus and the NAACP. These groups argue that Mosby's prosecution was unfairly influenced by racial and political biases.
Marilyn Mosby first rose to national prominence in 2015 when she charged six police officers in connection to the death of Freddie Gray, an incident that sparked widespread protests and discussions about police brutality and systemic racism.
In addition to her home detention and supervised release, Mosby was also ordered to forfeit her Florida condo. This multifaceted case continues to evoke strong reactions from various segments of the public and highlights ongoing debates about justice, fairness, and accountability in the legal system.