Former Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby was recently seen at an event in Clarksville, Maryland, despite being ordered to a year of home detention by a judge. Mosby had previously been convicted of mortgage fraud in February and perjury in November. The judge sentenced her to home detention and supervised release in May. She posted a video on Instagram of a “thank-you barbecue” with family and friends while wearing an ankle monitor. The court-ordered home detention allows her to leave her residence for certain reasons, including doctor appointments, court dates, child care responsibilities, employment, and legal team meetings, with pre-approval required for travel outside of her home.
Mosby’s legal team has filed a brief with the federal appeals court seeking to have her convictions overturned. In the court filing, Mosby claims she was unfairly targeted during the investigation and that the prosecution was “ill-advised and ill-conceived from the beginning.” Federal prosecutors alleged that Mosby claimed a pandemic-related hardship to withdraw money from her retirement account, which she then used as down payments on two Florida properties. Prosecutors also accused her of repeatedly lying on mortgage applications. Mosby’s mortgage fraud trial was moved to Greenbelt, Maryland, due to concerns about potential jury bias from media coverage. During the trial, Mosby and her ex-husband both provided testimony, with her ex-husband admitting to lying about their federal tax debt.
The mortgage fraud charges against Mosby were related to her failure to disclose debt on loan applications and allegedly lying about receiving a $5,000 gift from her husband, which helped her secure a lower interest rate. Prosecutors were able to trace the gift back to her account, leading to her conviction. Despite the conviction, Mosby claims she did not make any false statements intentionally and signed the loan applications in good faith. Her legal team is appealing for her convictions to be overturned, arguing that flaws existed in the two trials where she was convicted of perjury and mortgage fraud. The brief does not allege that Mosby was the victim of a racially or politically motivated prosecution.
According to reports, Mosby’s home detention requires her to remain confined to her home in Fells Point and communal areas at her apartment complex. She can leave her residence for specific reasons, such as doctor appointments, court dates, child care responsibilities, employment-related matters, and meetings with her legal team, with pre-approval necessary for travel outside her home. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland confirmed that Mosby does not need to consult with the government ahead of time for employment and child care requests. However, it was noted that there was no indication in the online federal court system of Mosby seeking permission to attend the barbecue in Howard County.
As Mosby continues to navigate her legal challenges, the controversy surrounding her case persists. Her attendance at the event in Clarksville while under home detention has drawn attention to the restrictions placed upon her by the court. Despite her convictions, Mosby maintains her innocence and is pursuing avenues to have her name cleared. The case has sparked debates about the integrity of the legal system and the potential for bias in high-profile trials. The outcome of Mosby’s appeals and the ongoing legal battles will shape her future and contribute to continued scrutiny of her actions as a former Baltimore City State’s Attorney.
