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Mosby responds to criticism of her policies following violence in Fells Point

Mosby responds to criticism of her policies following violence in Fells Point
ATTORNEY, WHO SAYS WHAT HAPPENED IN FELLS POINT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HER POLICIES. [SHOUTING] REPORTER: BUSINESS OWNERS WORRY THAT ALCOHOL FUELED CROWDS ARE BECOMING THE NORM, NOT THE EXCEPTION. MESO ARE LIMITING THE STATES ATTORNEYS HONESTY OF NOT PROSECUTING LOW-LELVE CRIMES. >> I FEEL LIKE IF YOU MAKE THAT POLICY PERMANENT, YOU ARE BASICALLY TELLING PEOPLE WHO DON’T WANT TO LIVE IN OBEDIENCE OF LAWS -- HERE IS THE KEYS TO THE CITY, DO AS YOU PLEASE, AND WE ARE OK WITH IT. REPOERRT: THE CHEF OPEN HER RESTAURANT IN 1989. SHEAN WTS THAT STATES ATTORNEY TO CONTINUE PROSECUTING QUALITY-OF-LIFE CRIMES. >> IF HER JOB IS TO BE THE STATES ATTORNEY AND TO PROSECUTE , TNHE ATHI TS POINT IT IS TIME TO START PROSECUTING AGAIN. REPORTER: CITY STATE’S ATTORNEY MARYLIN MOSBSAY YS WHAT SHE SAW HAPPENING IN FELLS POINT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THROUGH OTHER SOURCES HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HER PROSECUTION POLICIES. >> YOU CAN ARREST INDIVIDUALS FOR AN ASSAULT. YOU SHOULD BE ARRESTING INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DEFACING AND MALICIOUYSL DESTROYING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY, ASSAULTING PEOEPL, AND ATTEMPTED MURDER. THESE ARE ALL CRIMES WE CONTINUE TO PROSECUTEND A HAVE BEEN PROSECUTING. REPORTER: LAST YEAR MOSBY , ADOPTED A NEW PROSECUTION POLICY, RECENTLY MEAD PERMANENT, TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN JAIL. IT WAS ALSO INTENDED TO HELP STRETCH POLICE RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH VIOLENT CRIME. OFFENSES HER OFFICE WILL NO LONGER PROSECUTE INCLUDE DRUG AND PARAPHERNALIA POSSESSION PROSTITUTION, TRESPASSING, MINOR , TRAFFIC OFFENSES, OPEN CONTAINER VIOLATIONS, URINATING AND DEFECATING IN PUBLIC. >> TSEHE LOW-LEVEL OFFENSES HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH PUBLIC SAFETY . WE WANT TO USE OUR LIMITED LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES ON FOCUSING ON HOMICIDES AND NON FATAL SHTINGS.OO REPORTER: DAVID COLLINS, WBAL TV-11 NEWS. >> SHOOTINGS HAVE INCREASED THIS YE CAROMPARED TO LTAS YEAR. MEANWHILE, BUSINESS OWNERS AND RESIDENTS WANT TO MEET WITH THE POLICE COMMISSIONER, THE MAYOR, AND THE STATE’S ATTORNEY T
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Mosby responds to criticism of her policies following violence in Fells Point
Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby is calling on Baltimore police to do their jobs.In the wake of last weekend's violence in Fells Point, Mosby is responding to critics who said her policy to not prosecute low-level crime is not working.Mosby said what happened in Fells Point has nothing to do with her policies. She's calling on police to do their jobs to de-escalate or make arrests, and she said the offenses will be prosecuted.Business owners and residents worry that alcohol-fueled rowdy crowds in Fells Point are becoming the norm, not the exception. And some are blaming the State's Attorney's Office policy of not prosecuting specific low-level crimes as the reason."I feel like when you make that policy permanent, you are basically telling people who don't want to live in obedience of laws, 'Here's the keys to the city, do as you please and we are OK with it,'" said Nancy Longo, chef and owner of Pier Point Restaurant Fells Point.Longo opened her restaurant in 1989. She wants Mosby to continue prosecuting quality of life crimes."If her job is to be the state's attorney and to prosecute then at this point it’s time to start prosecuting again," Longo said.Mosby said what she saw happening in Fells Point on social media and through other sources has nothing to do with her prosecution policies."You can arrest individuals for an assault. You should be arresting individuals that are defacing and maliciously destroying public and private property, assaulting people and attempted murder. These are all crimes that we continue to prosecute and have been prosecuting," Mosby said.Last year, Mosby adopted a new prosecution policy recently made permanent, to slow the spread of COVID-19 in jail. It was also intended to help stretch police resources to deal with violent crime.Offenses her office will no longer prosecute include: Drug and paraphernalia possessionProstitutionTrespassingMinor traffic offensesOpen container violationsUrinating and defecating in public"These low-level offenses have nothing to do with public safety," Mosby said. "We want to use our limited law enforcement resources on focusing on homicides and non-fatal shootings."According to police, the number of murders and non-fatal shootings have increased compared to this time last year.Meanwhile, business owners and residents want to meet with the police commissioner, mayor and state's attorney to discuss restoring order going forward.

Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby is calling on Baltimore police to do their jobs.

In the wake of last weekend's violence in Fells Point, Mosby is responding to critics who said her policy to not prosecute low-level crime is not working.

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Mosby said what happened in Fells Point has nothing to do with her policies. She's calling on police to do their jobs to de-escalate or make arrests, and she said the offenses will be prosecuted.

Business owners and residents worry that alcohol-fueled rowdy crowds in Fells Point are becoming the norm, not the exception. And some are blaming the State's Attorney's Office policy of not prosecuting specific low-level crimes as the reason.

"I feel like when you make that policy permanent, you are basically telling people who don't want to live in obedience of laws, 'Here's the keys to the city, do as you please and we are OK with it,'" said Nancy Longo, chef and owner of Pier Point Restaurant Fells Point.

Longo opened her restaurant in 1989. She wants Mosby to continue prosecuting quality of life crimes.

"If her job is to be the state's attorney and to prosecute then at this point it’s time to start prosecuting again," Longo said.

Mosby said what she saw happening in Fells Point on social media and through other sources has nothing to do with her prosecution policies.

"You can arrest individuals for an assault. You should be arresting individuals that are defacing and maliciously destroying public and private property, assaulting people and attempted murder. These are all crimes that we continue to prosecute and have been prosecuting," Mosby said.

Last year, Mosby adopted a new prosecution policy recently made permanent, to slow the spread of COVID-19 in jail. It was also intended to help stretch police resources to deal with violent crime.

Offenses her office will no longer prosecute include:

  • Drug and paraphernalia possession
  • Prostitution
  • Trespassing
  • Minor traffic offenses
  • Open container violations
  • Urinating and defecating in public

"These low-level offenses have nothing to do with public safety," Mosby said. "We want to use our limited law enforcement resources on focusing on homicides and non-fatal shootings."

According to police, the number of murders and non-fatal shootings have increased compared to this time last year.

Meanwhile, business owners and residents want to meet with the police commissioner, mayor and state's attorney to discuss restoring order going forward.