Barron was joined by leaders from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security, and Director of the ATF Steve Dettelbach. Local leaders, like Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates and Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley were also in attendance.
Chashelle Warren no longer works as intake director at the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center, leaving DJS the week before Christmas and about seven weeks after key lawmakers sent a pointed letter criticizing the department’s handling of cases where teens were required to be detained instead of released. That letter revealed the department had launched an internal investigation into the issue and promised accountability. Reached by phone, Warren confirmed she has left juvenile services but declined to be interviewed.
“I think it helps that the U.S. Attorney and I have known each other for 20 years,” Bates said. “What we’ve been able to do is take our offices, and say hey, let’s work together.”
Juvenile justice was a major topic in 2023 after several high-profile shootings and crimes, including a mass shooting at the Brooklyn Homes community in Baltimore for which multiple teenagers face charges. Several months later in November, Baltimore police arrested two juveniles, ages 12 and 14, who assaulted, robbed and tried to steal a woman’s car, before being released several hours later.
Continued progress against gun violence in Baltimore. Significantly fewer lives were lost in 2023 after eight dreary years of 300-plus homicides each, and the trend is not merely organic. Several players made this happen: Anti-violence programs, like Roca, aimed directly at young men at highest risk of being shot (again, or for the first time); effective coordination of local, state and federal resources by the U.S. Attorney’s Office; successful prosecutions by the Maryland attorney general’s organized crime unit, and impressive results in homicide trials under Ivan Bates in his first year as Baltimore state’s attorney: As of Dec. 27, 136 guilty verdicts against 19 acquittals, according to his office.
"This is not a victory lap for me. This is me saying to Baltimore, I said that we would reduce it by 15%. We reduced it by 20%, and now we have to keep going in partnership with everyone," he said.
“While I respect the jury’s partial verdict, my office will be pursuing the charges that they were hung on given the overwhelming evidence we have in this case and the egregious actions of the defendant captured on video,” said State’s Attorney Ivan Bates in the news release. “I am committed to doing everything in my power to achieve justice for Sgt. Ramberg, whose life has been impacted dramatically by the injuries sustained during this violent encounter with the defendant.”
"We heard a lot of critics of the legislation talk about the notion that we wanted to just lock individuals up, put them in jail for longer periods of time. That's not the case." Galeano said. "a lot of times you have a period of probation along with it. We want to be able to give individuals who have clearly made a bad decision time and give the state time to implement services for that individual so that once they return they can make better choices and become a productive, and contributing member of the city." Galeano said.
The State's Attorney’s office also spearheaded legislation holding people accountable for gun laws, "It used to be if you had an illegal handgun, [and] you were 18 to 21, you receive five years; 21 and above, the penalty was three. Now the penalty for everything is five years."
