Aisha Braveboy, a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates who ran as a candidate for attorney general in 2014, has changed her focus from Annapolis to Upper Marlboro, Md. as the county’s top prosecutor.
Aisha Braveboy is running for Prince George’s County State’s Attorney. She served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2007-2015. (Courtesy photo)
“I am running for Prince George’s County State’s Attorney in order for the county to realize its full potential,” Braveboy told the AFRO at the Oct. 7 groundbreaking ceremony for the Peppermill Community Center rebuilding in Hyattsville, Md. “In order to realize our potential, we have to emphasize public safety. Criminals and criminality will not be tolerated.”
Braveboy is a native of Prince George’s County and is a 1992 graduate of Largo High School. She stayed in the county to attend the University of Maryland, College Park and got a bachelor’s degree in government and politics in 1997.
Braveboy got a law degree from the Howard University School of Law and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 2000. In 2006, she was elected as the Democratic delegate from Maryland’s 25th House district and served in that body until 2015.
Braveboy served a term as chairman of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus. In 2014, she placed third in the race for attorney general in the Democratic primary, with Brian Frosh emerging as the winner.
Presently, Braveboy is the manager of government affairs for the Children’s National Health System and continues to practice law part-time as counsel to the law offices of Gabriel J. Christian and Associates in Bowie, Md.
Braveboy said as state’s attorney, she will vigorously prosecute criminal wrongdoers but will have compassion for offenders. That compassion means that an automatic lock-up mentality won’t be pervasive while she is state’s attorney, she said.
“We will look at the mental health state of offenders, particularly juveniles,” she said. “I want to take the time to look at the underlying issues of why these crimes are being committed.”
Braveboy said that turmoil in the family can be a large part as to why young people commit crimes and she will work to add a mental health and behavioral element to the criminal justice system.
Braveboy said she will have a slight difference, mainly in style and not substance, from present Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks (D). However, domestic violence will be one area of concern where Braveboy will continue Alsobrooks’ thrust.
Braveboy said her family has been impacted by domestic violence and will take a strong stand against it. “I will encourage those that are abused or have the potential to be abused not to tolerate that type of behavior at all,” she said. “I will encourage abusers to get help. Domestic abuse is a crime.”
At the Peppermill ceremony, Braveboy sat next to Alsobrooks, who is a candidate for county executive. Braveboy will run against is Maryland Sen. Victor Ramirez (D-District 47). He was also at the ceremony promoting his candidacy.
The Democratic primary will take place on June 26, 2018 and the general election will be on Nov. 6, 2018.
Braveboy seems to have support from Edward Burroughs III, a member of the Prince George’s County Board of Education representing District 8, who is mulling a run for Maryland State Sen. Anthony Muse’s (D-District 26) seat.
“I have known Aisha for many years,” Burroughs told the AFRO. “She is passionate about young people. She is a woman of integrity and character.”
Burroughs said Braveboy passed a bill raising the drop-out age for Marylanders to 18, instead of 16. He said that has been a factor in keeping many young people in school in the county.
“I know she will work tirelessly for the people as the state’s attorney,” he said.