Marilyn Mosby is a former American politician and lawyer known for her time as the State's Attorney for Baltimore between 2015 and 2023. She gained national recognition for her role in the investigation and prosecution of police officers involved in the 2015 death of Freddie Gray while in police custody. Despite a high-profile case, the prosecution ultimately failed.
January 22, 1980: Birth of Marilyn Mosby
Marilyn Mosby was born on January 22, 1980.
2000: Appearance on Judge Judy
In 2000, Marilyn Mosby, then known as Marilyn James, appeared on the television show "Judge Judy" as a plaintiff in a case against her roommate.
2005: Mosby Marries Nick Mosby
In 2005, Marilyn James married Nick Mosby, who is currently the President of the Baltimore City Council. They have two daughters together and reside in the Reservoir Hill neighborhood of Baltimore. Marilyn adopted the professional name "Mosby" following her marriage.
2005: Start of Career as Assistant State's Attorney
Marilyn Mosby began her career as an Assistant State's Attorney for Baltimore in 2005.
2005: Graduation from Boston College Law School
Marilyn Mosby graduated from Boston College Law School in 2005, earning her Juris Doctor degree.
2011: End of Tenure as Assistant State's Attorney
Marilyn Mosby's time as Assistant State's Attorney for Baltimore came to an end in 2011.
2013: Announcement of Candidacy for State's Attorney
Marilyn Mosby announced her intention to run for the position of State's Attorney for Baltimore in 2013.
2014: Tax Lien Filed Against the Mosbys
In October 2020, a $45,000 tax lien was filed against Marilyn and Nick Mosby's property for unpaid federal taxes from 2014, 2015, and 2016.
January 8, 2015: Swearing-in as State's Attorney and Office Restructuring
On January 8, 2015, Marilyn Mosby was sworn into office as State's Attorney for Baltimore. She quickly initiated a restructuring of her office, drawing inspiration from practices in other major cities.
January 2015: Focus on Prosecuting Violent Repeat Offenders
Beginning in January 2015, Marilyn Mosby prioritized the prosecution of violent repeat offenders in Baltimore.
May 4, 2015: Criticism from Legal Experts
On May 4, 2015, Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz publicly criticized Marilyn Mosby's handling of the Freddie Gray case, suggesting she overcharged the officers.
May 2015: Grand Jury Indictment and Public Appearances
In May 2015, a grand jury indicted the officers involved in the Freddie Gray case on most of the original charges filed by Marilyn Mosby. Mosby also faced criticism for her public appearances, including one at a Prince concert, after bringing charges against the officers.
May 2015: Conviction of Nelson Clifford and Advocacy for Law Reform
Marilyn Mosby secured the conviction of Nelson Clifford, a sex offender, in May 2015. She used the case to advocate for changes to Maryland's laws regarding sexual assault cases.
December 2015: Mistrial in William Porter Case
The first trial of a police officer charged in the Freddie Gray case, William Porter, ended in a mistrial in December 2015 due to a hung jury.
2015: Marilyn Mosby Gains National Attention
Marilyn Mosby gained national attention in 2015 for her role as State's Attorney for Baltimore during the investigation and prosecution of police officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray.
2015: Tax Lien Filed Against the Mosbys
In October 2020, a $45,000 tax lien was filed against Marilyn and Nick Mosby's property for unpaid federal taxes from 2014, 2015, and 2016.
2015: Charging of Police Officers in Freddie Gray Case
In 2015, Marilyn Mosby brought charges against six police officers connected to the death of Freddie Gray, who died from injuries sustained in police custody.
2015: Establishment of a "War Room" to Combat Violent Crime
To address a surge in violent crime in Baltimore in 2015, Marilyn Mosby and the interim Police Commissioner created a 24-hour "war room" to target violent repeat offenders.
May 11, 2016: Acquittal of Officer Edward Nero
Officer Edward Nero, one of the officers charged in the Freddie Gray case, was acquitted of all charges on May 11, 2016.
June 23, 2016: Acquittal of Officer Goodson and Complaint Filed
Officer Goodson was acquitted of all charges related to the Freddie Gray case on June 23, 2016. Following this acquittal, a law professor filed a complaint against Marilyn Mosby with Maryland's Attorney Grievance Commission, alleging misconduct in her handling of the case.
2016: Tax Lien Filed Against the Mosbys
In October 2020, a $45,000 tax lien was filed against Marilyn and Nick Mosby's property for unpaid federal taxes from 2014, 2015, and 2016.
May 2018: Mosby Granted Immunity in Lawsuit
In May 2018, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a lawsuit against Marilyn Mosby filed by five police officers she had charged in the death of Freddie Gray, granting her immunity from their charges of malicious prosecution, defamation, and invasion of privacy.
November 2018: Supreme Court Upholds Mosby's Immunity
The U.S. Supreme Court denied the appeal of five police officers who sued Marilyn Mosby, upholding the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to grant her immunity in November 2018.
2018: Re-election for a Second Term
Marilyn Mosby was re-elected as State's Attorney for Baltimore in 2018.
2018: Mosby's Travel and Business Practices Scrutinized
Marilyn Mosby faced questions about her frequent speaking engagements and private businesses in 2018. Despite maintaining her innocence, she requested an investigation by the city Inspector General. The investigation revealed Mosby was out of town for 144 workdays in 2018 and 2019, failed to report 15 out-of-town trips, and utilized supposedly dormant LLCs for tax write-offs.
January 2019: Policy Change on Marijuana Possession Prosecution
In January 2019, Marilyn Mosby announced her office would no longer prosecute individuals for marijuana possession, regardless of the amount.
2019: Mosby's Travel and Business Practices Scrutinized
Marilyn Mosby faced questions about her frequent speaking engagements and private businesses in 2019. Despite maintaining her innocence, she requested an investigation by the city Inspector General. The investigation revealed Mosby was out of town for 144 workdays in 2018 and 2019, failed to report 15 out-of-town trips, and utilized supposedly dormant LLCs for tax write-offs.
October 2020: Tax Lien Filed Against the Mosbys
In October 2020, a $45,000 tax lien was filed against Marilyn and Nick Mosby's property for unpaid federal taxes from 2014, 2015, and 2016.
2020: Temporary Halt on Prosecutions During COVID-19 Pandemic
In 2020, Marilyn Mosby temporarily stopped pursuing charges for certain low-level offenses to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Baltimore's prisons.
March 2021: Permanent Policy Shift on Low-Level Offenses
Marilyn Mosby made permanent her policy of not prosecuting low-level offenses like drug possession, prostitution, and minor traffic violations in March 2021.
May 2021: Mosby Files Complaint Against TV Station
Marilyn Mosby's office filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in May 2021 against Baltimore television station WBFF, alleging biased and harmful coverage of her office. The complaint asserted that WBFF's reporting was "blatantly slanted, dishonest, misleading, racist, and extremely dangerous" while also emphasizing support for accountability and freedom of speech.
January 13, 2022: Mosby Indicted on Perjury and Mortgage Fraud Charges
On January 13, 2022, Marilyn Mosby was indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts, including perjury and making false statements in mortgage applications. The indictment alleged that she falsely claimed COVID-19-related financial hardship to withdraw funds from her deferred compensation account under the CARES Act, despite receiving her full salary and even getting a salary increase. Mosby was also accused of failing to disclose her federal tax liabilities in mortgage applications for properties in Florida.
January 2022: Indictment on Perjury and Mortgage Fraud Charges
Marilyn Mosby was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2022 on charges of perjury and mortgage fraud.
February 4, 2022: Mosby Pleads Not Guilty
On February 4, 2022, Marilyn Mosby pleaded not guilty to the charges of perjury and mortgage fraud.
April 12, 2022: Announcement of Re-election Bid
On April 12, 2022, Marilyn Mosby announced her candidacy for a third term as State's Attorney for Baltimore.
July 21, 2023: Mosbys File for Divorce
Marilyn and Nick Mosby filed for divorce on July 21, 2023.
November 9, 2023: Conviction on Perjury Charges
On November 9, 2023, Marilyn Mosby was found guilty on two counts of perjury related to allegations of financial misconduct.
2023: Marilyn Mosby's Tenure as State's Attorney Ends
Marilyn Mosby's time as State's Attorney for Baltimore concluded in 2023.
2023: Mosby's Trial and Legal Representation
Marilyn Mosby's trial was initially scheduled for March 2023. However, it was delayed due to her defense team of six pro bono attorneys withdrawing after being accused of violating court rules, including potential criminal contempt charges against lead attorney A. Scott Bolden for his conduct, such as using profanity in court and disclosing confidential jury information. Consequently, Mosby was declared indigent and assigned a public defender, Maggie Grace.
February 6, 2024: Conviction on Mortgage Fraud Charge
On February 6, 2024, Marilyn Mosby was convicted of mortgage fraud, adding to her legal troubles.
February 2024: Allegations of Inappropriate Conduct by Court Officers
During Marilyn Mosby's trial in February 2024, her attorneys submitted a letter alleging that court security officers had made "inappropriate, derogatory comments" about Mosby. The letter requested information to determine whether jurors had potentially been exposed to these comments while entering the courthouse through the public security checkpoint.
May 2024: Mosby Maintains Innocence, Seeks Pardon
In May 2024, prior to her sentencing, Marilyn Mosby appeared in an interview on MSNBC's "The ReidOut," where she maintained her innocence and appealed to President Joe Biden for a pardon. She claimed to be a victim of "political targeting" and asserted that the legal proceedings had severely impacted her well-being—psychologically, professionally, spiritually, and financially.
May 23, 2024: Mosby Sentenced to Home Confinement
On May 23, 2024, Marilyn Mosby was sentenced to 12 months of home confinement, 100 hours of community service, and three years of supervised release following her conviction for perjury and mortgage fraud.
2024: Mosby's Defense Files Motion to Acquit
In 2024, Marilyn Mosby's defense counsel filed a motion to acquit, arguing that the mortgage fraud charges should be dismissed due to jurisdictional grounds. They contended that the alleged offense did not occur in Maryland, making it an improper venue for the case.