In the upcoming trial of former Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, prosecutors are seeking to prevent the jury from being informed about her divorce settlement with Nick Mosby, the City Council President.
The divorce settlement is believed to be relevant to the trial, as Mosby faces charges of allegedly lying on mortgage applications for vacation homes in Florida.
CBS News has reported that Mosby was initially charged with perjury in October 2022 for providing false information on Covid-19 financial relief applications established under the CARES Act.
In the current trial for mortgage fraud, Mosby is accused of not disclosing a tax lien and renting one of the properties, despite receiving a lower interest rate for not doing so.
The trial has encountered disagreements between prosecutors and the defense, with the defense asserting that the divorce settlement is pertinent to the case, as it implicates Mosby’s husband in the tax lien.
However, prosecutors argue that the settlement, signed after the alleged fraud occurred years ago, should not be admissible in court. Mr. Mosby, the City Council President, remains a potential witness in the trial.
Another point of contention is the defense’s request for a complex verdict form, which would require jurors to unanimously agree on specific false statements if they find Mosby guilty.
Prosecutors oppose this request, contending that it would only confuse jurors. Investigative reporter Mike Hellgren of CBS News Baltimore revealed the proposed verdict form documents.
Additionally, the defense is advocating for potential jurors to declare whether they would consider the testimony of a person convicted of perjury.
Before facing her own legal challenges, Mosby gained prominence for leading an investigation into the Baltimore police officers involved in the 2015 killing of Freddie Gray.
However, her legal advocacy aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement has been overshadowed by her recent convictions.
The sentencing for the perjury conviction is scheduled to take place in the aftermath of the mortgage fraud case.
