BALTIMORE — Former Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby appeared in court on Tuesday for a motions hearing in advance of her federal perjury trial scheduled for March.
Mosby is facing allegations of providing false information regarding her financial situation to avoid penalties while withdrawing $90,000 from her city retirement plan, funds that she is accused of using to purchase two vacation homes in Florida.
In the lead-up to the trial, both Mosby's legal team and the federal prosecutors submitted competing motions. The government is seeking to exclude two expert witnesses, Jerome Schmitt and Eric Forster, who were set to testify on Mosby's behalf. Prosecutors argue that neither has been qualified as an expert in a federal criminal trial setting.
Schmitt is expected to present an analysis indicating that Mosby's net worth fell by 12% between December 31, 2019, and March 31, 2020. However, prosecutors contend that this analysis is misleading.
Conversely, Mosby's defense is asking the court to dismiss two government witnesses, Steven Butler and Joshua Johnston. Her attorneys assert that there is no legal definition of 'adverse financial consequences' that necessitates a total decrease in net worth to justify a withdrawal from her retirement account.
Additionally, Mosby's legal team has requested that certain portions of the hearing remain sealed, citing concerns that revealing juror questionnaires and their responses could violate Local Rule 204. They argue that keeping this information confidential is necessary to protect the integrity of the trial.
The judge has not yet ruled on potential sanctions against Mosby's defense team after prosecutors accused them of improperly disclosing sensitive juror information in previous filings.
As the trial date approaches, set for March 27, Judge Lydia Griggsby is still considering whether to relocate the trial venue and whether to impose a pre-trial gag order.
Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR 2 News Baltimore (source).
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