Ivan Bates declared winner of primary for Baltimore City State's Attorney
BALTIMORE -- Ivan Bates, a prominent defense attorney and former city prosecutor, has been declared the winner of the Democratic nomination for Baltimore City State's Attorney.
The Associated Press called the race for Bates on Friday evening.
Bates told WJZ he's "humbled" to represent the citizens of Baltimore, who he said are ready for change.
"That's really what this is all about, because crime is out of control," he said.
After another round of tabulating mail-in ballots Friday, Bates is up about 10 points on former Deputy Attorney General Thiru Vignarajah, or about 6,600 votes.
Following the addition of those numbers, the incumbent, Marilyn Mosby, slid to third place, with just under 30% of the vote.
All three candidates faced off in 2018, with Mosby going on to win the nomination and her second term in office, capturing nearly half of the vote. Bates finished second.
Mosby faces federal charges of perjury and falsifying information on mortgage applications. Her trial date was pushed back to September 19.
Mosby has pleaded not guilty on all charges.
In his own assessment of the race, Bates told WJZ that Mosby's case not as much of a factor.
"Voters weren't as focused on Ms. Mosby's personal issues," he said. "They were focused on crime -- crime, crime, crime, crime, crime. That's all they want to talk about was the crime."
During his campaign launch last November, Bates touted his record "holding the worst criminals to account" as a prosecutor and "taking on the corrupt Baltimore police" when he represented victims of Gun Trace Task Force as a defense attorney.
His platform includes implementing a homicide review program similar to the ones in Milwaukee and Oakland, and creating a specialized unit for violent gun crimes and illegal gun possession.
Bates has said he will end Mosby's policy to stop prosecuting some non-violent offenses such as low-level drug possession, trespassing and prostitution. But defendants who are convicted in those cases would be connected with diversionary programs.
Addressing one of Mosby's high-profile cases, Bates has supported dismissing charges against Keith Davis Jr., who is awaiting a fifth trial in the 2015 murder of a Pimlico security guard. Two trials ended with a hung jury. One ended in a conviction that was later thrown out.
The most recent case ended in a conviction and 50-year sentence, but a judge granted Davis a new trial.
On the morning of the murder, police chased Davis into an auto repair shop in Northwest Baltimore as part of an unrelated attempted robbery investigation and fired dozens of rounds, striking him three times, including in the face. He was found not guilty in the armed robbery, but later police charged him with the murder of the security guard, Kevin Jones.
The Republican Party is not fielding a candidate in the race.
Roya Hanna, a former prosecutor who entered the primary as a Democrat before withdrawing in April, is running as an independent in November.
