(The text of a statement sent Friday, Dec. 22 to Tom Hall by the defense counsel for Keith Davis, Jr., the Columbia man whose recent conviction on second-degree murder charges is discussed in Wednesday's Midday show, is posted at the bottom of this Web article)
Tom's NewsMaker guest today is the State’s Attorney for the City of Baltimore, Marilyn Mosby. In the 2014 primary, she defeated her former boss, Greg Bernstein, by ten points, a decisive victory, before running unopposed in the general election. She was swept into office by tapping into widespread dissatisfaction with increasing crime. Mosby promised to reduce it.
Two years into her term, her Office has a conviction rate of 79% in homicide cases. The clearance rate of cases for the Baltimore Police department has also improved.
But Baltimore struggles with an epidemic of violent crime that has reached record levels, and the police department has been rocked by internal corruption.
How do we fix this? State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby joins Tom, and takes your questions, for the hour.
To watch the conversation we streamed live on Facebook, click here.
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On Friday, December 22, the Midday office received a written statement, via email, from Latoya Francis-Williams, an attorney with the law office of A. Dwight Pettit. Ms. Francis-Williams, who first contacted our office by phone shortly after Midday's Wednesday program with Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, identifies herself as the defense counsel for Keith Davis, Jr., whose controversial legal case was discussed during host Tom Hall's interview with SA Mosby. Ms. Francis-Williams strongly objects to the way her client's case was described in that interview, and in order to make those objections known publicly, she asked that we publish the full text of her statement on this Web page. Midday is happy to oblige, and Tom Hall will read from Ms. Francis-Williams' statement during the next live Midday show on Tuesday, January 2, 2018.
Here is the full, unedited text of Ms. Williams' statement:
Good afternoon Mr. Hall:
Thank you for the opportunity to respond very briefly to the recent interview with Ms. Mosby addressing my client and his case. Below you will find my statement as defense counsel:
“Regarding my client, Keith Davis, Jr., Marilyn Mosby did not try any of the cases brought by her office against Mr. Davis nor was she present for any day of any trial or procedural hearings. She is simply misinformed as to the facts. Mr. Davis was not convicted of robbing or attempting to rob anyone (he was acquitted of these charges by a jury). He did not pull a gun on anyone (he was acquitted of these charges by a jury). And, contrary to the State’s Attorney’s statements on this show, no civilian witness ever testified or even reported such allegations. Ms. Mosby is clearly disseminating misinformation about this case to improperly influence our jury pool come April. Such a reckless disregard for the truth is counterproductive to the pursuit of justice, a goal her office touts.
In fact, after three trials on the same facts it would be in the interest of justice for the State to now review the real remaining admissible evidence and do belated justice to Mr. Davis by nol prossing same. Anything less reveals the State’s true motivation to drag Mr. Davis through a 4th trial is solely political.”
~Latoya Francis-Williams, Esq.
Law Office of A. Dwight Pettit, PA.
