Ivan Bates | |
---|---|
Bates in October 2022 | |
26th State's Attorney of Baltimore | |
Incumbent | |
Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Marilyn Mosby |
Personal details | |
Born | 1968/1969 (age 55–56) |
Political party | Democratic |
Residence | Locust Point, Baltimore, Maryland |
Occupation | Defense attorney |
Website | Campaign website |
Military service | |
Service/branch | United States Army |
Years of service | 1986–1988 |
Rank | Private first class |
Unit | 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command |
Ivan Jules Bates[1][2] (born 1968/1969)[3] is an American politician and lawyer who has served as the State's Attorney of Baltimore since 2023.
Early life[]
Bates was adopted by his parents, Henry and Cleora, in El Paso, Texas. Due to his father's service in the United States Air Force, his family moved several times, including to Germany, Virginia, and New Mexico, before finally settling in Hampton, Virginia, where Bates attended the segregated Bethel High School, where he graduated with a 1.9 GPA.[4][5]
After graduating from high school, his father enlisted him in the United States Army, where he was assigned to the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command and worked as a light wheel vehicle mechanic before reaching the rank of private first class. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1988.[4]
After leaving the military, he enrolled at Howard University, where he served as the second president of the Howard University Student Association[6] before graduating with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1992. Afterwards, he attended the William & Mary Law School, where he received his Juris Doctor degree in 1995. While at William & Mary, he clerked for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. After graduating, Bates wanted to move back to Los Angeles, California, but his mother asked him to move to Baltimore to take care of his aunt Edna.[4]
Career[]
Bates started his legal career in Baltimore, working as a law clerk for Baltimore Circuit Court Judge David B. Mitchell. He later worked in the homicide division of the Baltimore State's Attorney's Office under state's attorney Patricia Jessamy from July 1996 to June 2002.[4][7] He left to become a defense attorney for the law firm of Schulman, Treem, Kaminkow, and Ravenell, and worked on the U.S. Supreme Court case Maryland v. Blake.[4][8]
In 2006, Bates started his own law firm of Bates & Garcia, P.C., in downtown Baltimore.[4][9] He represented Baltimore Police sergeant Alicia D. White, one of six police officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray in April 2015, and several clients victimized by the corrupt Gun Trace Task Force, whose members in 2017 were federally indicted and convicted of racketeering.[4][10] In June 2019, Bates testified before the Commission to Restore Trust in Policing, recommending a number of state laws to prevent corruption in Baltimore's criminal justice system.[11]
State's Attorney of Baltimore City[]
Elections[]
- 2018
In 2018, Bates unsuccessfully ran for state's attorney of Baltimore, challenging incumbent state's attorney Marilyn Mosby. He ran on a platform of supporting community policing and curbing gun violence.[12]
During the campaign, Kristien Miller, a supporter of Thiruvendran Vignarajah, filed a lawsuit against Bates alleging that he was not qualified to run for state's attorney. In March 2018, Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Lawrence Fletcher-Hill ruled that Bates had lived in the city since 2016 and was qualified to run for state's attorney.[13][14]
In May 2018, Bates released a campaign ad in which he claimed that he had "never lost a murder case".[15] He came under fire for this claim, as online court records show that Bates prosecuted eight murders and dropped five of them. Bates defended his claims by providing additional court records that list him as a prosecutor in homicide cases against Lynelle Whiting and Gregory Everett in 2001 and 2002 respectively.[7] In June, he released a list of 11 more cases he claimed as "wins", four of which had ended in convictions.[16] He later threatened to sue the two other candidates in the race, Vignarajah and Mosby, and the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper for defamation, calling the claims made by the candidates related to his murder cases were "absolute lies".[17]
Also in May 2018, Bates told the Rolling Stone that he would drop charges against Adnan Syed, the Serial podcast host who was serving life in prison for his initial conviction in the killing of Hae Min Lee in 1999.[18]
Bates was defeated in the Democratic primary on June 26, 2018, placing second behind Mosby with 28.1 percent of the vote.[19]
- 2022
On November 18, 2021, Bates announced that he would again run for state's attorney, challenging incumbent state's attorney Marilyn Mosby.[9][20]
Bates supports improving the technology used in the state's attorney's office, including software programs that would add subtitles to police body camera videos.[9] He unveiled a prosecution plan in March 2022, which includes cracking down on gun violence and restarting prosecutions for nonviolent crimes such as drug possession, prostitution, and trespassing,[21] promising mandatory prison sentences for people convicted on gun charges. He also sought to increase collaboration with the Baltimore Police Department to reduce violent crime. He stressed during the campaign that these policies did not mean the city would be returning to a tough-on-crime mindset that leads to mass incarceration, with many cases being funneled to diversion courts to connect people with alternative treatment services.[22][23]
During the primary, Bates received endorsements from The Baltimore Sun,[24] former Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon, former mayoral candidate Mary J. Miller,[25] Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, state delegate Luke Clippinger, and former state's attorney Greg Bernstein.[10]
Bates defeated incumbent state's attorney Marilyn Mosby and Democratic challenger Thiruvendran Vignarajah in the Democratic primary on July 19, 2022, receiving 40.9 percent of the vote.[3] Bates was to face Independent candidate Roya Hanna in the general election, but she dropped out and endorsed Bates shortly after his primary win, clearing his path to victory.[26][27]
Tenure[]
Bates was sworn in as state's attorney on January 3, 2023.[28] On his first day in office, he reversed Mosby's non-prosecution policy for low-level offenses like drug possession, prostitution, and trespassing.[29][30]
In July 2022, Bates told The Baltimore Banner that he planned drop the controversial case against Keith Davis, Jr., who was scheduled for a fifth murder trial in the fatal shooting of Pimlico Race Course security guard Kevin Jones in 2015.[25] He declined to comment on the case after winning the Democratic primary, saying that "[a]s State's Attorney-elect, I am no longer a private citizen. I must be mindful of the gag order imposed to the current State's Attorney and how it would ethically apply to me".[31] On January 13, 2023, Bates ended the State's Attorney's office's prosecution of Davis, dropping all charges against him.[32]
During the 2023 legislative session, Bates endorsed a bill to increase maximum sentences from three years to five years for people who illegally carry handguns, arguing that it would "ensure fairness under the law and serve as a deterrent".[33][34] The bill was supported by all elected state's attorneys in Maryland,[35] and opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, faculty of Baltimore law schools, and the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, who cited research from Johns Hopkins University which showed that longer sentences did not deter crime.[36] The bill was later incorporated into the Gun Safety Bill of 2023, which was passed by the Maryland General Assembly in April,[37] and signed into law by Governor Wes Moore in May 2023.[38] In March 2023, Bates endorsed an anti-crime package introduced by the Maryland Republican Party, which included bills strengthening penalties for gun theft and repeat violent offenses.[39]
Personal life[]
Bates has two daughters named Brielle and London.[4][40] He lives in the Locust Point community of Baltimore.[9]
In 2021, Bates' third wife, Lana, filed for a divorce.[4]
Hours before Bates was sworn in as State's Attorney of Baltimore, he was hospitalized and treated for dehydration. Despite this, his swearing-in continued to go on as planned.[41]
Electoral history[]
Baltimore City State's Attorney Democratic primary election, 2018[19] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Marilyn Mosby (incumbent) | 39,766 | 49.4 | |
Democratic | Ivan Bates | 22,619 | 28.1 | |
Democratic | Thiru Vignarajah | 18,130 | 22.5 |
Baltimore City State's Attorney Democratic primary election, 2022[42] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Ivan Bates | 34,684 | 40.9 | |
Democratic | Thiru Vignarajah | 25,685 | 30.3 | |
Democratic | Marilyn Mosby (incumbent) | 24,415 | 28.8 |
Baltimore City State's Attorney election, 2022[43] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Ivan Bates | 129,961 | 98.2 |
References[]
- ↑ "MSBA Member Directory". Maryland State Bar Association. https://www.msba.org/about/member-directory/.
- ↑ "Ivan Jules Bates Profile on Martindale.com". https://www.martindale.com/attorney/ivan-jules-bates-2891968/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mann, Alex; Sanderlin, Lee O. (July 23, 2022). "Ivan Bates wins Democratic primary for Baltimore State's Attorney; Mosby, Vignarajah concede race". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bs-md-ci-cr-ivan-bates-wins-democrat-primary-states-attorney-over-marilyn-mosby-20220722-w4h2wdtlvzc2raht6zhxmhjcay-story.html.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Segelbaum, Dylan (August 3, 2022). "How Ivan Bates went from a 1.9 high school GPA to become the presumptive next Baltimore state's attorney". Baltimore Banner. https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/criminal-justice/how-ivan-bates-went-from-a-19-high-school-gpa-to-become-the-presumptive-next-baltimore-states-attorney-453B4QMHNNGMFJQDI4RNV2OZKQ/.
- ↑ "Profile: Ivan Bates for Baltimore City States Attorney". WMAR-TV. June 21, 2018. https://www.wmar2news.com/news/ivan-bates-profile.
- ↑ Williams, Juan (September 20, 1992). "The Continuing Education of Franklyn Jenifer". https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/magazine/1992/09/20/the-continuing-education-of-franklyn-jenifer/b1289113-2a4f-488f-a13b-196b8ed8a62a/.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Prudente, Tim (June 11, 2018). "Baltimore state's attorney candidate Ivan Bates under fire for claims he never lost a murder case". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-ci-bates-record-20180611-story.html.
- ↑ "Profile: Ivan Bates, Candidate for Baltimore City State's Attorney". WYPR. May 8, 2018. https://www.wypr.org/wypr-news/2018-05-08/profile-ivan-bates-candidate-for-baltimore-city-states-attorney.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Prudente, Tim (November 18, 2021). "Attorney Ivan Bates joins race for Baltimore State's Attorney, citing need to address city's violence". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-pol-ivan-bates-states-attorney-race-20211118-cbpaxcjdyzelbhhoddcc7y4gvy-story.html.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Mann, Alex; Sanderlin, Lee O. (July 23, 2022). "5 things to know about Ivan Bates, Democratic nominee for Baltimore state's attorney". Capital Gazette. https://www.capitalgazette.com/politics/bs-md-pol-ivan-bates-5-things-baltimore-prosecutor-20220722-qjq34knxqvd2rfihfodx3mgit4-story.html.
- ↑ Gaines, Danielle E. (June 12, 2019). "Defense Attorney Sickens Member of State Panel With His Tales of Police Corruption". Maryland Matters. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2019/06/12/defense-attorney-sickens-member-of-state-panel-with-his-tales-of-police-corruption/.
- ↑ Manas, Samuel (May 11, 2018). "Candidates for Baltimore State's Attorney Hammer Absent Incumbent". Maryland Matters. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2018/05/11/candidates-for-baltimore-state-s-attorney-hammer-absent-incumbent/.
- ↑ Prudente, Tim (March 23, 2018). "Judge rules Ivan Bates can run in Baltimore state's attorney election". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-ci-bates-ruling-20180323-story.html.
- ↑ Cobun, Heather (March 23, 2018). "Judge rules Bates can run for Baltimore state's attorney". The Daily Record. https://thedailyrecord.com/2018/03/23/bates-residency-ruling/.
- ↑ Prudente, Tim (May 8, 2018). "Baltimore state's attorney candidate Ivan Bates releases ad in campaign against Marilyn Mosby". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-ci-ivan-bates-ad-20180508-story.html.
- ↑ Prudente, Tim (June 14, 2018). "Ivan Bates' 'undefeated' claim of prosecuting murders in Baltimore not a clear cut case". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-ci-bates-murder-record-20180614-story.html.
- ↑ Herring, Vanessa (June 26, 2018). "Ivan Bates threatens lawsuit against fellow City State's Attorney candidates". WBAL-TV. https://www.wbaltv.com/article/ivan-bates-threatens-lawsuit-against-fellow-city-states-attorney-candidates/21940424.
- ↑ McDonell-Parry, Amelia (May 21, 2018). "'Serial': Baltimore State's Attorney Race Could Mean Freedom for Adnan Syed". https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/serial-baltimore-states-attorney-race-could-mean-freedom-for-adnan-syed-630462/.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Official 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Baltimore City". Maryland State Board of Elections. https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/primary/gen_results_2018_1_by_county_030.html.
- ↑ O'Neill, Madeleine (November 18, 2021). "Baltimore defense lawyer Ivan Bates announces run for state's attorney". The Daily Record. https://thedailyrecord.com/2021/11/18/baltimore-defense-lawyer-ivan-bates-announces-run-for-states-attorney/.
- ↑ Mann, Alex (March 1, 2022). "Baltimore state's attorney candidate Ivan Bates unveils prosecution plan he says would reduce violent crime". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bs-md-ci-cr-ivan-bates-prosecution-plan-20220301-qsfxajflqzcs5caxkmzuljgqwe-story.html.
- ↑ Sanderlin, Lee O. (July 25, 2022). "Ivan Bates, the Democratic nominee for Baltimore state's attorney, says reducing crime requires collaboration". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/elections/bs-md-pol-ivan-bates-victory-speech-plans-20220725-wahb4il55jatrkb2ed2c25ixqu-story.html.
- ↑ Segelbaum, Dylan (September 6, 2022). "Three takeaways about Ivan Bates' plans as state's attorney made at a Greater Baltimore Committee and Goucher College event". Baltimore Banner. https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/criminal-justice/three-takeaways-about-ivan-bates-plans-as-states-attorney-made-at-a-greater-baltimore-committee-and-goucher-college-event-3TPUIEOAA5DYDKKXVO7D2OM4AY/.
- ↑ "The Sun endorses Ivan Bates for Baltimore state's attorney in the Democratic primary election | COMMENTARY". The Baltimore Sun. June 22, 2022. https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-0622-states-attorney-endorsement-20220622-7ojjcbbynfab3nie4c64m3hrly-story.html.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Prudente, Tim (July 5, 2022). "Embattled Marilyn Mosby tries to fend off familiar rivals for third term as Baltimore state's attorney". Baltimore Banner. https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/embattled-marilyn-mosby-tries-to-fend-off-familiar-rivals-for-third-term-as-baltimore-states-attorney-6E5VBJC725DEZPQXTYOG3KC3VM/.
- ↑ Mann, Alex (July 29, 2022). "Roya Hanna drops out of Baltimore state's attorney race, paving clear path for Democratic nominee Ivan Bates in general election". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-ci-roya-hanna-ends-candidacy-for-states-attorney-ivan-bates-clear-path-20220729-brzebaien5htpo2w42czvfeeme-story.html.
- ↑ Prudente, Tim (July 29, 2022). "Independent Roya Hanna drops out of Baltimore prosecutor race, leaving Bates as only candidate". Baltimore Banner. https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/independent-roya-hanna-drops-out-of-baltimore-prosecutor-race-leaving-bates-as-only-candidate-TB4E6PUXMRAKBHMSJ3OLQT4XWE/.
- ↑ Segelbaum, Dylan (January 3, 2023). "Ivan Bates takes the oath of office as 26th Baltimore state's attorney". Baltimore Banner. https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/criminal-justice/ivan-bates-oath-of-office-ceremony-W55T6QKXOJDIDAUJT36EJZCT7U/.
- ↑ Mann, Alex (January 3, 2023). "Ivan Bates sworn in as Baltimore state's attorney, immediately reinstates prosecution of low-level offenses". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bs-md-ci-cr-ivan-bates-swearing-in-20230103-jub5u3i5xjh5tetvlvaaqliwa4-story.html.
- ↑ Segelbaum, Dylan (January 2, 2023). "Ivan Bates is set to become Baltimore state's attorney. Here's what you need to know.". Baltimore Banner. https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/criminal-justice/ivan-bates-what-you-need-to-know-CQYEVWZWP5CHFJ4PDWWZJ4MB3I/.
- ↑ Mann, Alex (August 3, 2022). "Keith Davis Jr.'s fifth murder trial is set for May. Ivan Bates, who has pledged to dismiss charges, is expected to take office by then.". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bs-md-ci-cr-keith-davis-jr-new-trial-date-20220803-th7b54646jfibjjhnjbkgsyzkq-story.html.
- ↑ Segelbaum, Dylan (January 13, 2023). "Baltimore State's Attorney's Office drops controversial murder case against Keith Davis Jr.". Baltimore Banner. https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/criminal-justice/keith-davis-jr-states-attorney-ivan-bates-drops-murder-case-DZM2RULGABAA7FGIJJFMXSBYDU/.
- ↑ Segelbaum, Dylan (February 10, 2023). "Bates wants tougher sentences for carrying a gun without a permit. Will it deter crime?". Baltimore Banner. https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/criminal-justice/ivan-bates-handgun-bill-OJA4HPUIA5HADOEUZ7VYCC6OPM/.
- ↑ Collins, David (February 15, 2023). "Bates testifies before House panel to support bill to change sentences for illegal gun violations". WBAL-TV. https://www.wbaltv.com/article/ivan-bates-gun-bill-baltimore-prosecutor-testifies/42915383.
- ↑ O'Neill, Madeleine (February 15, 2023). "Bates pushes for enhanced gun penalties, though critics question impact". The Daily Record. https://thedailyrecord.com/2023/02/15/bates-pushes-for-enhanced-gun-penalties-though-critics-question-impact/.
- ↑ Sanderlin, Lee O. (February 15, 2023). "Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates wants longer gun sentences despite opposing research". The Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bs-md-ci-cr-ivan-bates-gun-bill-baltimore-sentences-20230215-dmsywvlrn5bopebj4f24bzmk5e-story.html.
- ↑ Bush, Matt (April 11, 2023). "Major gun bill passes before Maryland General Assembly adjourns for the year". WYPR. https://www.wypr.org/wypr-news/2023-04-11/major-gun-bill-passes-before-maryland-general-assembly-adjourns-for-the-year.
- ↑ O'Neill, Madeleine (May 16, 2023). "Bates-backed tougher gun penalties become law". The Daily Record. https://thedailyrecord.com/2023/05/16/in-flurry-of-firearms-legislation-bates-backed-tougher-gun-penalties-become-law/.
- ↑ Collins, David (March 2, 2023). "Maryland GOP caucus' crime-fighting package addresses guns, juvenile crimes". WBAL-TV. https://www.wbaltv.com/article/maryland-republican-caucus-crime-fighting-bills-2023/43162204.
- ↑ Hall, Tom; Sivak, Rob (May 24, 2018). "Ivan J. Bates, Democrat for Baltimore State's Attorney". WYPR. https://www.wypr.org/show/midday/2018-05-24/ivan-j-bates-democrat-for-baltimore-states-attorney.
- ↑ "Ivan Bates sworn in as Baltimore City State's Attorney". WJZ-TV. January 3, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/ivan-bates-sworn-in-tuesday-as-baltimore-city-states-attorney/.
- ↑ "Official 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Baltimore City". Maryland State Board of Elections. https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2022/primary_results/gen_results_2022_by_county_3.html.
- ↑ "Official 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Baltimore City". Maryland State Board of Elections. https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2022/general_results/gen_results_2022_by_county_3.html.
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