By Maggie Trovato | mtrovato@baltsun.com
A prosecutor who resigned recently is running against her old boss in the race for Anne Arundel County state’s attorney.
Although she hasn’t filed yet, former Assistant State’s Attorney Carolynn Grammas has launched a website announcing her bid. The news means incumbent Anne Colt Leitess will have competition at the polls this year.
In a statement sent to the Capital Gazette, Grammas’ campaign team said Grammas, a registered Democrat, is running to “restore ethics, demand accountability, and make our county safer.”
“Carolynn’s career is defined by tough, hands-on prosecution,” the statement says. “She has led the Auto Manslaughter Trial Team, prosecuted violent crime, and served as Deputy Chief of District Court right here in Anne Arundel County. She’s earned the trust of victims, law enforcement, and the community because she does the work, knows the law, and delivers results.”
Grammas’ campaign manager, James Tuomey, said in an email Tuesday that Grammas had not filed to run “just yet,” but said they hope to “make an announcement shortly.”
As of Tuesday, Leitess was the only person who had filed to run for the position. She filed as a Democrat.
In a phone interview, Leitess, Grammas’ former boss, declined to comment on Grammas’ decision to run, saying there will be “lots of time” to talk about campaign issues. Leitess said she is proud of her record as state’s attorney, including creating programming for children and increasing the number of victim advocates in her office.
In mid-October, Grammas left the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office — where she served as an assistant state’s attorney for more than 23 years — to go to the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office. She is serving as an assistant state’s attorney there, according to her LinkedIn account.
In an October social media post, the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office shared its gratitude for Grammas’ “exceptional service,” saying that for much of her tenure with the county, she focused on prosecuting vehicle and boat crashes that were serious or fatal.
Grammas was the lead prosecutor on cases including a 2022 hit-and-run boat crash that killed a 63-year-old mother of three from Pasadena, a 2022 vehicle crash that killed a 47-year-old woman, and the 2024 killing of an Odenton man by his neighbor.
Leitess is serving her second term as Anne Arundel County state’s attorney, with the term set to expire at the end of the year.
Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
Since the start of her second term in 2019, Leitess’ office has seen major wins, as well as significant defeats and controversies.
In 2021, Leitess successfully prosecuted the gunman who killed five Capital Gazette staff members. That year, she also successfully prosecuted the leader of a white supremacist prison gang in the killing of a rival gang elder.
In February, a judge declared a mistrial in an Annapolis mass shooting case, citing “transgressions” by Leitess as the reason for the mistrial. In May, Leitess was removed from an Edgewater double stabbing case after a judge questioned her handling of conversations with 15 witnesses. The case has since been stayed, and an appeals court has expressed reservations about the judge’s handling of the case.
In a sit-down with the Capital Gazette in November, Leitess said she could not comment on either case because they are both pending.
Leitess said mistrials are more common than people realize.
“I think what’s important is that I am not afraid to take on the challenging, tough cases,” she said.
The 2026 primary election is slated for June 23, and the general election will be held Nov. 3. Candidates must file to run by Feb. 24.
The Baltimore Banner first reported the news that Grammas is running.