Former Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby will not be able to travel to New Orleans for a paid event that her attorney described as an opportunity to promote Mosby’s consulting firm.
U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby on Friday denied Mosby’s request to travel while under house arrest in a one-page order.
Mosby sought to go to the Essence Culture Festival for a paid contractual position that would have involved speaking at the festival and covering an event there as a legal contributor on July 6 and 7.
The federal probation office opposed the request because its policies prohibit travel during the first two months of a defendant’s supervised release. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also objected.
Mosby, 44, began serving one year of home detention last week, the start of his sentence for perjury and mortgage fraud convictions. His sentence also includes two additional years of supervised release.
Separate federal juries found Mosby guilty in two trials, concluding that he lied to withdraw $80,000 from his city retirement account early and then presented a fake “gift letter” when he bought a Florida vacation condo with the money.
In a motion filed Thursday, Mosby’s attorney, Federal Public Defender James Wyda, argued that the timing of the Essence Festival would help connect Mosby with other speaking engagements.
“This event is crucial to the advancement of Ms. Mosby’s consulting firm, Mahogany Elite Enterprises, LLC,” Wyda wrote. “Through this firm, Ms. Mosby will offer her services to speak on issues of race, justice, and equality affecting Black women. Her background and experience as a former state prosecutor in Baltimore make her an ideal speaker to address these issues facing Black women.”
Black Star Network offered Mosby a position as a legal contributor covering the “Essence Community Impact Hub” program at the festival, Wyda wrote. The program includes a live podcast about Black women’s empowerment and other discussions about civil rights activism and economic empowerment, she wrote.
Mosby was to receive an honorarium and a stipend from the Global Black Economic Forum for travel and lodging expenses, according to the motion.
While on home detention, Mosby is restricted to her residence except for work, school, religious services, medical treatment, child care, or other activities approved by her probation officer.