Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby Enters Not Guilty Plea
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby pleaded not guilty Friday to all four counts she faces as part of a federal indictment.
Mosby, 41, entered that plea to charges of perjury and making a false statement on a loan application during her initial appearance and arraignment Friday afternoon.
"Your honor, I plead not guilty to all four counts," the state's attorney told U.S. Magistrate Judge James Mazzone.
Mosby was named in a Jan. 13 indictment charging her with two counts of perjury and two counts of making a false statement on a mortgage application, which are linked to the purchases of two vacation homes in Florida.
Prosecutors allege that Mosby lied about enduring financial hardships related to COVID-19 to withdraw money without penalty from her retirement account and that she falsified information on loan applications.
Mosby, who has maintained her innocence, has publicly vowed to clear her name.
As expected, federal prosecutors said Friday they are not seeking detention for Mosby, who will remain free while awaiting court proceedings related to the case.
Defense attorney A. Scott Bolden, who represents Mosby, told the court that his client is seeking a jury trial, which is expected to last four days.
Bolden asked for a speedy trial within 60 days, telling the court, "This is a politically charged case and my client is in the middle of a re-election campaign."
Mazzone said he would not schedule the trial and deferred to U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby, a Baltimore native who will preside over the case.
Additionally, Bolden asked for the government to turn over its discovery materials as soon as possible, a request prosecutors said they would honor once the defense made a formal demand.
"I'm sure you and (Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo Wise) can work together" on producing discovery materials related to the case, Mazzone told Bolden.
The 15-minute hearing came two days after Mosby was processed in federal court, having her fingerprints and picture taken, a routine procedure for defendants in federal cases.
Mosby has been vocal recently about wanting to get the trial underway as soon as possible, saying it should not have an influence on the upcoming election.
"We all deserve for this to be over," she said Wednesday. "What I'm asking for is to be tried right now because I am innocent. And the citizens of Baltimore deserve to know that as well before my election, which is four months out."
Even though the state's attorney has asked not to be tried in the media, she and her legal team have spoken about the case multiple times.
"I'm ready to fight," she said Tuesday evening on MSNBC. "I know I've done nothing wrong, so I'm ready to go to trial tomorrow. Put this on trial right now so I can prove my innocence, but let's get to this election because that's what this is all about."
Mosby told MSNBC host Joy Reid she feels she is being targeted because of progressive reforms she has made while holding office.
"I never expected to be on this side of the fence where the only thing I'm attempting to do is to provide equal justice to all," Mosby said.
She was critical of the allegations against her, specifically addressing withdrawals she made from her retirement account.
"This is what they come back with: Me accessing my own personal funds that I put away every single week," Mosby told Reid.
If convicted, Mosby faces up to five years in federal prison for each perjury count and up to 30 years in federal prison for each false statement count.
Judge Mazzone on Friday set a Feb. 18 deadline for both sides to file their pretrial motions. He also scheduled a conference with the attorneys for Feb. 23.
