This spring’s gripping events in Baltimore thrust two BC Law alumni into the spotlight from vastly different perspectives.
Marilyn J. Mosby ’05, the state’s attorney for Baltimore City, shook up the world by leveling felony charges at six police officers for their alleged roles in the death of Freddie Gray.
Meanwhile, Mel Robbins ’94, the only CNN legal analyst in the New York bureau at the time, became the network’s first on-air expert to comment on the developing story.
Seconds after Mosby reached the podium, Robbins grasped the magnitude of the moment. “I shouted, ‘Oh my God, she’s going to charge them all.’ A call from a producer prompted a mad dash to the Newsroom set.
“I missed about two minutes of her remarks getting from one floor to another,” says Robbins, whose kids attend the same suburban-Boston high school (Dover-Sherborn) from which Mosby, a Dorchester native, graduated as a METCO student in 1998.
As Mosby’s press conference ended, the anchor asked Robbins off-air what should be highlighted.
“When a story’s breaking in front of you, the key is laser-focus on the aspects of law, but also having an eye on the bigger piece that addresses humanity in general,” explains Robbins. “[Mosby] came out guns blazing and really met the moment. I thought it was important to underscore that she conducted her own investigation and that she’s extraordinarily confident in what she’s doing because she laid her entire case out for the world to see, and that’s unprecedented. We also needed to keep reminding people that those officers deserve due process.”
So, did Robbins feel like she herself met the moment?
“Moments like that are the real honor, privilege and heart-thumping aspect of the job,” she says.
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