Twenty-five year old Freddie Gray died in police custody shortly following his arrest in April 2015. His death incited months of rioting in Baltimore and helped fuel the then-fledgling Black Lives Matter movement.
Maryland State Attorney Marilyn Mosby was quick to blame Freddie’s death on the police officers involved in his arrest and promised to convict six of them two days before the investigation was over.
Mosby has since been accused of deceit, misconduct, and fraud – with more than a few professionals asking that she be disbarred.
The Freddie Gray case dragged on for months, but finally came to a close in July 2016 with zero convictions. This month, a federal judge in Maryland agreed to pursue a lawsuit against Mosby filed by five of the police officers she originally charged with Freddie’s death.
US District Judge Marvin J. Garbis is allowing claims including “malicious prosecution, defamation, and invasion of privacy” to move forward against Mosby, reports the Baltimore Sun. He has dismissed claims of false imprisonment, false arrest, and abuse of process.
Judge Garbis found that “while Marilyn Mosby said that she enjoyed absolute immunity as a prosecutor from being sued for her actions that because she has acted as an independent investigator in this case, that that was open to more scrutiny,” explains Justin Fenton of the Baltimore Sun.
Garbis’ ruling is likely to favor the plaintiffs, and the decision may lead to the deposition of Mosby and key staff members.
“We’re looking forward to the depositions and learning about what really happened,” said David Ellin, one of the attorneys representing the police officers. “We think the discovery process will really allow us to flesh out many things.”
Ellin predicts the ruling will be appealed to the fourth circuit and may even make it to the Supreme Court. “The ramifications of this care are huge, and nationwide,” said Ellin.
Editor’s note: This is the woman who decided these police officers were guilty before the investigation was completed. Her assertions of their guilt that fueled the riots and she shares a large portion of the responsibility for the damage that was done.
Mosby had no business being in the position she was in, her biases should have disqualified her. If she is indeed found guilty of misconduct, then all of her cases will have to be reviewed. Her lack of integrity is an embarrassment to the city of Baltimore.