Overview
- Dalya Attar, her brother Joseph Attar, and Baltimore Police Officer Kalman Finkelstein entered not guilty pleas Monday in federal court in their first joint appearance since the October indictment.
- Prosecutors say the defendants secretly recorded a former campaign consultant in 2020 and later used threats to keep her from political activity before the 2022 election, with four unnamed co-conspirators cited in the indictment.
- Defense attorneys signaled they will seek a jury trial, and Attar’s lawyer Jeff Ifrah said he will file a motion to dismiss by Dec. 15, according to the Baltimore Sun.
- Attar remains in office and has said she intends to continue serving; under Maryland law a seat is not vacated without a conviction.
- Finkelstein’s police powers have been suspended since 2022 as he works in an administrative role, and the defendants were previously released under conditions that included surrendering passports, according to the Banner.