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Who is Marilyn J. Mosby? A Guide to the Baltimore State’s Attorney

4 minute read
Updated: | Originally published: ;

Late last year, Marilyn J. Mosby was a young insurance company attorney attempting to unseat Baltimore’s state’s attorney. Now, she’s leading the case against six Baltimore officers charged with murder, manslaughter and assault in the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray.

On Friday, Mosby—elected Baltimore City State’s Attorney last November—announced there was probable cause to charge police with murder in the death of Gray, a black man whose spine was severed after being detained near a West Baltimore housing project on April 12. Gray died a week later.

The 35-year-old attorney now finds herself at the center of an incident that has roiled Baltimore for weeks and renewed the nation’s focus on the intersection between race and policing.

In some ways, Mosby is an unlikely prosecutor to bring charges against police officers in the Gray case. Five generations of her family were all in law enforcement, and her grandfather was one of the first African-American police officers in Massachusetts. “I know that the majority of police officers are really hard-working officers who are risking their lives day in and day out, but those really bad ones who go rogue do a disservice to the officers who are risking their lives and taking time away from their families,” she told Baltimore Magazine in January.

Mosby was raised by a single mother in Boston, where in 1994 her 17-year-old cousin was killed near her home after being mistaken for a drug dealer. She was the first in her family to graduate from college and attended Tuskegee University in Alabama, studying political science. She later attended Boston College Law School and worked as assistant state’s attorney in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s office.

She was working as field counsel for Liberty Mutual Insurance when she decided to run for Baltimore’s state’s attorney, campaigning on a pledge to keep repeat offenders off the street and vowing to start a diversion program that would help young drug offenders avoid getting more serious criminal records. Her surprise victory in November over Gregg Bernstein, who had served one term as the city’s state’s attorney, made her the youngest chief prosecutor in a major U.S. city.

In the run-up to Gray’s charges, Mosby had been criticized for her lack of experience having never held elected office before, as well as a potential conflict of interest regarding her husband Nick, who is a city council member representing the neighborhood where Gray was arrested. Mosby has brushed off that criticism, saying that she doesn’t answer to the city council but by the constituents who elected her.

Still, Mosby was under significant pressure to bring about charges against the officers involved in Gray’s death after a series of violent protests that forced Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to bring in thousands of National Guard troops to keep the peace.

Now that charges have been brought, she’ll face yet more scrutiny — not least from Baltimore’s police union, which accused Mosby Friday of having a conflict of interest in this case due to her “close relationship” with the Gray family attorney. According to the Baltimore Sun, Billy Murphy, the Gray family’s attorney, gave Mosby $5,000 for her campaign and was part of her transition committee.

Back in January, Mosby acknowledged the long-standing problems between residents and the police, hoping she could help bridge that trust gap between residents and police. “There are barriers of distrust within the community and law enforcement,” she told Baltimore Magazine. “And we’ve got to find ways to bring down these barriers. It’s never been more evident than now, right?”

See the Clashes in Baltimore After Freddie Gray's Funeral

A rioter stands atop a burning car as another man pours fuel onto the fire while Baltimore firefighters behind them fight fires in mutliple burning buildings set ablaze by rioters during clashes in Baltimore
A rioter stands atop a burning car as another man pours fuel onto the fire while Baltimore firefighters behind them fight fires in multiple burning buildings set ablaze by rioters during clashes in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Jim Bourg—Reuters
Firefighters battle a blaze after riots in Baltimore
Firefighters battle a blaze after riots in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Jerry Jackson—TNS /Landov
Protests in Baltimore After Funeral Held For Baltimore Man Who Died While In Police Custody
Two cars burn in the middle of an intersection during riots near New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Andrew Burton—Getty Images
Demonstrators Gather Outside Baltimore Police Station to Protest Death of Freddie Gray
Protestors and pedestrians walk down Pennsylvania Avenue as smoke from a nearby CVS on fire covers the area in Baltimore on April 27, 2015. Noah Scialom—EPA
APTOPIX Suspect Dies Baltimore
A demonstrator raises his fist as police stand in formation as a store burns during unrest following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on Monday, April 27, 2015.Patrick Semansky—AP
Demonstrators climb on a destroyed Baltimore Police car in the street near the corner of Pennsylvania and North avenues during violent protests following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
Demonstrators climb on a destroyed Baltimore Police car in the street near the corner of Pennsylvania and North avenues during violent protests following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images
US-POLICE-CRIME-RACISM
Police carry an injured officer from the streets near Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Brendan Smialowski—AFP/Getty Images
A demonstrator looks up after being sprayed with pepper spray during clashes in Baltimore
A demonstrator looks up after being sprayed with pepper spray during clashes in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Shannon Stapleton—Reuters
A man walks past a burning police vehicle in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
A man walks past a burning police vehicle in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Patrick Semansky—AP
Police put out a fire while responding to people protesting after the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
Police put out a fire while responding to people protesting after the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on April 27, 2015. Michael Reynolds—EPA
Police officers arrest a man near Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
Police officers arrest a man near Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Drew Angerer—Getty Images
Police officers use pepper spray against demonstrators after the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
Police officers use pepper spray against demonstrators after the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Jose Luis Magana—AP
Baltimore police officers tackle and arrest looters after they emerged from a "Deals" store with merchandise during clashes between rioters and police in Baltimore
Baltimore police officers tackle and arrest looters after they emerged from a "Deals" store with merchandise during clashes between rioters and police in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Jim Bourg—Reuters
Demonstrators Gather Outside Baltimore Police Station to Protest Death of Freddie Gray
A protestor unrolls police caution tape on North Avenue and Fulton Street during a protest for the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on April 27, 2015. Noah Scialom—EPA
A man hurls a rock at Baltimore police officers outside the Mondawmin Mall following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
A man hurls a rock at Baltimore police officers outside the Mondawmin Mall following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images
Police officers walk in formation on Reisterstown Road near Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore on April 27, 2015 .
Police officers walk in formation on Reisterstown Road near Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore on April 27, 2015 .Drew Angerer—Getty Images
Baltimore police officers form a line in front of protesters near Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
Baltimore police officers form a line in front of protesters near Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Brendan Smialowski—AFP/Getty Images
A woman cries as demonstrators throw rocks at police officers during clashes in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
A woman cries as demonstrators throw rocks at police officers during clashes in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Shannon Stapleton—Reuters
Protesters surround a police officer near Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
Protesters surround a police officer near Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Drew Angerer—Getty Images
Friends and relatives say their last goodbyes to Freddie Gray as his casket is lowered into his grave at the Woodland Cemetery in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
Friends and relatives say their last goodbyes to Freddie Gray as his casket is lowered into his grave at the Woodland Cemetery in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images
A pillow depicts the image of Freddie Gray inside his open casket during the funeral at New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
A pillow depicts the image of Freddie Gray inside his open casket during the funeral at New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore on April 27, 2015. Michael Reynolds—EPA
Gloria Darden, mother of Freddie Gray, is comforted as she embraces his body before his funeral at New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
Gloria Darden, mother of Freddie Gray, is comforted as she embraces his body before his funeral at New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Patrick Semansky—AP
Gloria Darden, mother of Freddie Gray, is embraced before her son's funeral at New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.
Gloria Darden, mother of Freddie Gray, is embraced before her son's funeral at New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Brendan Smialowski—AFP/Getty Images

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