Marilyn Mosby, the state’s attorney prosecuting six Baltimore police officers, had no concerns over speaking out on her evidence on a national stage, but now she wants to deny the public access to the autopsy performed on the late Freddie Gray.  What is she hiding, and why?

She is doing an excellent impersonation of a young and inexperienced prosecutor in way over her head, as she also seeks more time to respond to defendants’ motions, keeping them in limbo and without means of support, while her office, with over 200 attorneys available, claims that it is unable to respond in the normal amount of time allowed for such motions.

Kevin Rector of the Baltimore Sun details some of the shenanigans underway as Mosby juggles her duties yet finds time to attend a highly public concert by Prince in support of Gray and against the officers charged.

 Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby plans to seek a protective order that would block the release of Freddie Gray's autopsy report and other "sensitive" documents as she prosecutes the six police officers involved in his arrest.

Mosby told The Baltimore Sun that prosecutors "have a duty to ensure a fair and impartial process for all parties involved" and "will not be baited into litigating this case through the media."

But an attorney for one of the officers said the effort shows that "there is something in that autopsy report that they are trying to hide."

"Mrs. Mosby is the one who did an announcement discussing what she said the evidence was in a nationally televised speech," said Ivan Bates, who represents Sgt. Alicia White. "Now that it is time to turn over the evidence, to ask for a protective order is beyond disingenuous.

Mosby is doing things differently from what is normal, breaking with longstanding policy by not giving a copy of the autopsy report to the Baltimore police.  Other breaks with precedent:

“Her office has also sought a gag order to prevent participants from discussing the case in public” (despite her own very public statements on the case)

“defense attorneys said Wednesday that they have been denied an outline of evidence and claims against the officers, and have not been allowed to inspect a knife that was taken from Gray during his arrest.”

“In her filing Monday, Mosby said prosecutors had "attempted to reach an agreement" with defense attorney Michael Belsky for more time to respond to the defense motions. Belsky is defending Rice and serving as the "designated contact attorney" for all of the officers.

Belsky agreed to give the state more time to respond to defense motions to dismiss the case, Mosby said, but only "in exchange for the State releasing certain discovery," including Gray's autopsy report, medical records and "all statements made by the defendants."

He did not agree to give the state more time to respond to the motion to remove the case from Baltimore, Mosby said.

Mosby said her office did not agree to "barter" over the documents.

So Mosby, with her large staff, wants more time to respond, while the four officers charged with felonies are off the public payroll and face the need to finance their defense, but wants to keep the defense and the public in the dark about the evidence against the officers.

It looks to me as though Mosby realizes that her case is not very strong and wants to postpone the public reckoning that could well lead to more riots when the defendants are acquitted.

Or maybe she is merely impersonating an incompetent state’s attorney…

Hat tip: The Right Scoop