Former Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby has filed an appeal to set aside her convictions on mortgage fraud and perjury charges.
The Baltimore Sun reported Mosby submitted a brief to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Mosby claiming there were flaws in her two trials that resulted in legally unsound convictions. She is also seeking to retain ownership of her Florida vacation condominium that the federal government is trying to seize.
“This prosecution was ill-advised and ill-conceived from the beginning, and the three convictions and forfeiture order that resulted are infirm,” Mosby’s team of attorneys wrote. “They should all be set aside.”
While the brief suggested Mosby was unfairly targeted for investigation, it did not specifically allege she was pursued for racial or political purposes – the judge handling her trials rejected those arguments while her case was being conducted in Maryland’s federal courts.
A response to Mosby’s brief is expected in September.
Mosby was sentenced to 12 months of home confinement, which she began in June, along with 100 hours of community service and three years of supervised release. She as convicted of lying about her finances when she withdrew $90,000 from Baltimore city’s deferred compensation plan to make down payments on two vacation homes in Florida. She was also convicted for stating $5,000 of her own money was a gift from her then-husband when she was closing on the purchase of a Florida property.
U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby said Mosby showed a “pattern of dishonesty” during her time in public office, but also noted Mosby’s crimes did not involve public funds.
Mosby became a national figure in 2015 when she charged six officers in death of Freddie Gray, which sparked riots across Baltimore. When three of the officers were acquitted, Mosby dropped the charges against the other three.
Photo courtesy of Marilyn Mosby’s Facebook page
Marilyn Mosby is a champion and it’s sad what has happened to her for those infractions. I don’t believe that Ms. Mosby thought she was doing anything illegal by sending her husband $5000.00 to give back to her to purchase real estate. Everyone was trying to figure out what to do in the face of covid. The future was uncertain but on the other hand the future was gloom and doom. I think Ms. Mosby was trying to secure a financial future for herself and her family. And did not honestly anticipate this downfall because she thought she was using her own money. She repeatedly said that it was not covid money, it was her money. Just because she was states attorney does not mean she knows real estate law or human resources benefits. I also used my 401k money to purchase property so I was very confused. Also, I think the consequences was too severe. She still has to support her family financially. Please overturn or modify the sentence so that she can secure a future in law and reinstate and restore her life.