Who is Reverend Robert Turner? Pastor claims indicted DA Marilyn Mosby is victim of RACISM
Maryland attorney Marilyn Mosby, 41, recently joined a prayer circle at a church in Baltimore and asked for God's help. She proclaimed her innocence after being charged with perjury and fraud. Reverend Robert Turner brought up Mosby alongside her husband -- Baltimore City Council President Nick -- to the front of the church. During his sermon, the pastor went on to suggest that she is a victim of racism.
"We can certainly use your prayers. As a family, we are in the fight of our lives. But I stand before you confident and covered, trusting that with God on our side, I believe the fight is already fixed in my favor," Mosby said. "On Friday, I made a commitment to the citizens of Baltimore that I would not let the distraction of my federal indictment distract me or my team of doing the work of making Baltimore, healthier, safer or more equitable for everybody in our community. I make that same commitment to you all today. I also stated that, without equivocation, I am innocent of the charges levied against me. I have done nothing wrong, and I am confident that I will be exonerated and my name will be cleared."
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Mosby was brought up to the front of the church by Reverend Robert Turner. Her husband Nick accompanied, and they held hands to join a prayer circle. "Lord we call on you, in the name of Jesus that you cover, anoint and protect for all the fiery darts of the enemy. We rebuke the enemy and his attack on their life. The Devil is a liar," Rev Turner said. "We surround her physically now, but spiritually forevermore, as we intercede on her behalf. Lord, we know you bring real justice, the real judge and jury. Protect her and be her advocate in her courtroom."
Mosby is accused of falsely claiming that she suffered a work-related financial hardship due to the pandemic. She subsequently requested two early withdrawals totaling $90,000 from her city employee retirement account. According to prosecutors, Mosby used the money toward down payments on vacation homes in places such as Long Boat Key and Kissimmee. Mosby is also accused of making false statements on mortgage applications. She has denied both the allegations.
Who is Reverend Robert Turner?
Reverend Robert Turner is the pastor of Historic Vernon AME Church, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which has the only edifice which survived the 1921 Race Massacre on Greenwood. The pastor also sits on the National African American Reparations Commission, Board of Trustees for the American Village, and the Advisory Board of the Blackburn Institute of the University of Alabama. He is the chairperson of the board for the Turner Ministry Association 501(c)3.
Turner is a cum laude graduate from the Honors Program at the University of Alabama. He majored in Political Science with a minor in Spanish. Turner was the first-ever Black Chief of Staff for the Student Government Association at the University of Alabama and was honored as the 2004 University of Alabama Most Outstanding Male Student.
While addressing the charges against Mosby during his sermon, Turner discussed how there is a biblical account of Jesus forgiving a woman accused of adultery. "One sad fact about today is social media can allow people to be charged — accused — before you ever set foot in a courtroom. As a people of African descent, we have been charged before we even got here. They charged us while we were minding our business in Africa," Turner said.
"I know I'm new here to Baltimore, but it don't take me long to figure out what's right and what's wrong. And in my humble opinion, what's being done to this sister is dead wrong," Turner said.