Hogan, Mosby At Odds Over Plan To Release Non-Violent Offenders To Protect Them From Coronavirus
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City's State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby is calling on Gov. Larry Hogan to consider the supervised release of some inmates in order to stop an outbreak of the coronavirus behind bars.
In a letter sent to the governor this week, Mosby said she has the backing of top health experts, some from Johns Hopkins, who believe jails and prisons are a prime breeding ground for the virus.
"Understanding that these facilities could become easily a breeding ground for this virus, it would not only impact those who are incarcerated but has the potential of impacting our entire community at large," Mosby said.
In a phone interview with WJZ, Mosby said this would only apply to people who have already been approved for parole, non-violent offenders, older people or those who have compromised immune systems. They would also be on supervised release.
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"What we know about this wet population is they are not inclined to recidivate," Mosby said. "They don't necessarily pose a public safety threat, and they are already scheduled to be released."
WJZ asked Gov. Hogan if he would consider such a proposal.
"I said last week that right now we are trying to keep citizens on their home and the last thing I want to do is release people that are now in quarantine," Hogan said.
Last week, the City's State's Attorney's also announced her staff would drop pending charges for people with non-violent crimes like minor traffic offenses or prostitution.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
