Baltimore State's Attorney Candidates Clash Over Murder Cases Claim
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Accusations are flying in the Baltimore state's attorney race over one candidate's claim of never losing a murder case during his time as a city prosecutor.
As Baltimore state's attorney candidates argued their cases for election in WJZ's candidates forum last week, former city prosecutor Ivan Bates touted his record prosecuting homicides.
"I was in homicide where I won every murder I was involved with," Bates said.
But incumbent State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby called the claim an exaggeration during a news conference, announcing her endorsement by Baltimore faith leaders Tuesday.
"We now know that he didn't try two cases himself, it was a team of prosecutors, none of which he won," she said.
Candidate Thiru Vignarajah is also accusing Bates of misleading the public because he was not the lead prosecutor on the cases that were tried.
"Mr. Bates has claimed that he's never lost a murder trial and now we're seeing it may be the case that he's never tried a murder case," Vignarajah said.
Bates told WJZ that the accusations are an attempt on the part of his opponents to muddy the waters before voters go to the polls.
"They're attacking me because I attacked them on their experience," he said.
Whether this has any impact on voters, only the election results will tell.
Primary election day is June 26, but early voting starts Thursday.
Follow @WJZ on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook