Biography
Marilyn J. Mosby
Baltimore City State's Attorney
On January 8, 2015, Marilyn J. Mosby was sworn in as the 25th State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, making her the youngest chief prosecutor of any major American city.
Mosby, an inner-city Boston native, witnessed first-hand the impact of trauma associated with crime when her honor-roll cousin was gunned down in broad daylight outside of Mosby’s home due to mistaken identity. That horrific experience propelled Mosby to turn her pain into passion by becoming a first-generation college graduate, and pursuing her dreams of becoming an attorney and reforming the criminal justice system.
- Political Ideology:Progressive Democratic
- Religion:Christian
- Date of Birth:22 January 1980
- Born In:Boston, Massachusetts
- Best known as:In 2015, Mosby charged six police officers, who had arrested detainee Freddie Gray prior to his death caused by injuries sustained in police custody, with a variety of crimes including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
Education
Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science
Tuskegee University
Mosby received a Presidential Scholarship from Tuskegee University where she earned magna cum laude recognition and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.
Juris Doctorate
Boston College Law School
After leaving Tuskegee, Mosby was awarded the Council on Legal Educational Opportunity, Thurgood Marshall Scholarship, and subsequently earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Boston College Law School. While in law school, Marilyn proved to be an avid public servant, clerking at several highly-esteemed governmental agencies including the U.S. Attorney’s Office in both Boston, MA and Washington D.C., and the Homicide Unit of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in Boston.
Political Career
Attorney
Baltimore, MD
After law school, Mosby joined the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City (SAO), where she quickly advanced from District Court to General Felony. Driven by her love for courtroom litigation and the desire to diversify her legal experience, Mosby left the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office in 2011 and began working as a civil litigator for a Fortune 100 company. In just five months, Mosby was promoted to the Special Investigation Unit of the company, where she investigated and defended against fraudulent insurance claims throughout the State of Maryland.
Baltimore City State's Attorney
Baltimore, MD
From her formative years, Mosby’s passion was always to effect change by driving a more just, efficient, and fair criminal justice system. On June 24 2013, Mosby decided to take a leap of faith and run for Baltimore City State’s Attorney against the incumbent. After successfully completing one of the largest upsets in Baltimore City election history, Mosby assumed office and her leadership has transformed the State’s Attorney’s office into a national model for progressive holistic prosecution, exemplifying the mantra of not just being "tough on crime" but more importantly "smart on crime."
achievement
2015 Junius W. Williams Young Lawyer of the Year
This award is given by the National Bar Association.
2016 Newsmaker of the Year Award
This prestigious award is given by The National Newspaper Publishers Association
Woman of Courage Award
This is award is given by the National Women’s Political Caucus.
Marilyn J. Mosby
Mosby is a sought-after national speaker on criminal justice issues. In 2019 alone, she wrote opinion articles in the New York Times and Washington Post on juvenile justice, COVID-19, progressive prosecution, and policing. She has also appeared regularly on CNN and MSNBC as a commentator on these matters. As a member of the progressive prosecutor movement, she has traveled across the globe alongside Kim Foxx, Larry Krasner, and other reform-minded prosecutors, traveling to Germany, Portugal, Scotland, and Kenya to study their approach to criminal justice and import best practices to my office.
Mosby has always aimed to be at the forefront of the reform movement. She firmly believes our country has a mass incarceration problem that has fallen on the backs of people of color, and her mission is to tackle this issue.
As an active member in her profession and community, Mosby has served in a number of leadership positions on several committees and boards. She is a member of the Links Incorporated; the Peer Review Committee of the Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission; and has served on the Judicial Nomination Committee for the Monumental Bar Association, as well as the Criminal Justice Committee for the Baltimore City Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Mosby is a member of the Association for Prosecuting Attorney’s (APA), and was an integral contributor to the APA’s reform proposals provided in the 21st Century Principles of Prosecution of Peace Officers. In 2016, Mosby revealed her own police accountability reform proposals with the APA’s support.
Mosby has received numerous professional and community awards, accolades and recognition, some of which include receiving the prestigious 2016 Newsmaker of the Year Award by The National Newspaper Publishers Association; being named the 2015 Junius W. Williams Young Lawyer of the Year by the National Bar Association; and receiving the Woman of Courage Award by the National Women’s Political Caucus. Additionally, Mosby was among the 2015 class of both The Root 100 and Ebony Magazine’s Power 100. She was named as one of the Baltimore Sun’s 50 Women to Watch twice, in 2013 and 2014; Baltimore Magazine’s Top 40 under 40 in 2014; and one of the Daily Record’s Leading Women in 2013.
Marilyn J. Mosby is married to Baltimore Council President Nick J. Mosby, who took office in 2021. They reside in West Baltimore and are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters. As a family, they worship at New Psalmist Baptist Church.
