Marilyn Mosby, the former top prosecutor for the City of Baltimore who found herself on trial for and later convicted of mortgage fraud, had her conviction upheld by U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby on Feb. 16. Mosby, as the Baltimore Banner reported, sought to have her case thrown out on the grounds that federal prosecutors had not done enough to establish that Mosby was in the State of Maryland when she allegedly submitted a fraudulent gift letter to her mortgage company.
NEW: Marilyn Mosby leaves court after her motion to acquit was denied. She remains convicted of perjury and mortgage fraud with sentencing in May. She’s surrounded by supporters who chant “hands off Marilyn Mosby.” @wjz pic.twitter.com/M5t58AtxW4— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) February 16, 2024
Marilyn Mosby is another black woman prosecuted and convicted for the same actions white men get away with. She took a very small PPP loan for her travel business while receiving her salary as Maryland’s AG. How many white male members of congress did the same? https://t.co/ZCMFP4il1Q— swerpette 🇺🇦 🌻🇺🇸🌊🏖️ (@swerpette1) February 17, 2024
Griggsby believed that the evidence presented by the prosecution was sufficient to establish that Mosby was in Maryland because she refused to throw out the case and demanded that Mosby turn over her U.S. Passport.
Assistant Federal Public Defender Maggie Grace, one of Mosby’s attorneys, attempted to argue that the government didn’t establish that her client was in Maryland at the time the letter was submitted, saying that a person can reasonably drive from Maryland to either of the surrounding states or principalities, including Washington, D.C.; Delaware; Pennsylvania; Virginia; or West Virginia. Grace also noted that in this case, credit card or debit card electronic records are not reliable enough to place Mosby in Maryland, saying that “It’s their burden to prove that she was in Maryland. Speculation is not enough to form a basis for venue.”
Assistant U.S. District Attorney Aaron Zelinsky, meanwhile, argued that not only was Mosby most likely in Maryland at the time of the time the letter was submitted, but that the defense’s motion to dismiss the case was “breathtaking in its scope” as well as “unsupported by case law.” Zelinsky continued, saying, “The defendant in this case was the Baltimore state’s attorney. She lived in Baltimore City.”
Zelinsky also said that the presence of an “unbroken string of transactions” in Maryland until Mosby went to Florida to close on the house paints a clear picture that Mosby was in Maryland at the time of the submission of the document to the mortgage company.
Outside the courtroom, supporters of Mosby expressed their solidarity, holding signs that conveyed their belief in her innocence and criticizing the government for using taxpayer funds to investigate what they deemed as baseless charges. Others drew parallels between Mosby and historical figures such as Harriet Tubman and Shirley Chisolm, praising her as a trailblazer. As Mosby entered a black Chevrolet Suburban, chants of “Hands off Marilyn Mosby!” echoed through the crowd. Briefly addressing her supporters, Mosby expressed gratitude before departing.
Sentencing in her case is scheduled for May 23.
RELATED CONTENT: Defense For Marilyn Mosby In Mortgage Fraud Case Urges Divorce Agreement Revealed In Trial
Source: Black Enterprise
