LEGAL EXPERIENCE C A R L O S F. A C O S T A Prince George s County Police Department Office of Inspector General, Palmer Park, MD Inspector General, February 2012 Present. Function as the independent authority over the Internal Affairs Division, as well as being responsible to investigate systemic or programmatic issues affecting the police department s missions. Successes include leading the Department s change from simultaneous to double-blind sequential photo arrays (process proven to lessen the incidence of cross-racial misidentifications by victims and witnesses). Currently heading the Department s efforts to adopt and incorporate patrol officer-worn body cameras. American University - Washington College of Law, Washington DC Adjunct Associate Professor of Law, August 1997 Present. Teach two Advanced Criminal Trial Advocacy courses: Challenges and Obligations of the Prosecutor and Criminal Prosecution (Gang Homicide Case) for J.D. / LL.M. students. Have also taught in the Legal Writing and the Externship Programs, as well as International Commercial Arbitration and The American Criminal Justice System as international certificate courses. United States Department of Justice Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training, Washington DC Mérida Program Manager, September 2010 February 2012. Responsible for the management, both day-to-day as well as long-range, of Department of Justice / Department of State s mission of fighting organized crime in Mexico via several programs, including Prosecutorial Capacity Building, Strengthening Government of Mexico Law Enforcement Integrity Systems, Certification of Forensic Laboratories, Extradition Training, Asset Forfeiture, Evidence Preservation and Chain of Custody, and Pretrial Case Resolution. Office of the State s Attorney, Prince George s County, MD, Upper Marlboro, MD Deputy State s Attorney, March 2008 September 2010. Served as a principal advisor to the State s Attorney. Provided direct supervision for the Homicide, Violent Crime, Felony Trial, Gun, Economic Crime, Post-Conviction and Collateral Review, and Grand Jury and Screening Divisions. Responsible for administrative operations of the Office as they relate to these Divisions. Testified before Maryland State Legislature on bills affecting criminal justice system. Served on a number of multi-disciplinary committees relating to the workings of the criminal justice system and its interface with the public. Investigated and litigated criminal cases involving sensitive or complex issues. Prepared curriculum and training programs for the Prince George s County Police Department for on-going law enforcement in-service continuing education. 1
United States Department of Justice Gang Squad, Washington DC Trial Attorney, September 2006 March 2008. Responsible for federal prosecutions targeting violent street gangs. Coordinated between federal, state, and local entities in multi-jurisdiction prosecutions. Assisted in developing policies supporting anti-gang efforts. United States Attorney s Office for the District of Columbia, Washington DC Special Assistant United States Attorney, December 2004 January 2006. Assigned to the Organized Crime and Narcotics Section. Responsible for prosecuting federal firearms and narcotics offenses in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Coordinated between state and federal prosecutors in multi-jurisdiction prosecutions. Assignments in the OCN Section included investigations involving suspected computer fraud in government agencies. Prepared and presented Guns in the Courtroom training for new Assistant U.S Attorneys. Office of the State s Attorney for Prince George s County, Upper Marlboro, MD Assistant State s Attorney, March 2003 September 2006. Assigned to the Violent Crime Unit. Responsible for prosecuting homicides, serial violent criminals, major recidivists, and gang-related defendants. Assisted in the training of new prosecutors. Futrovsky Nitkin & Scherr, Chartered, Rockville, MD Associate, February 2002 March 2003. Counsel in general practice firm. Conducted all phases of criminal practice from pre-indictment negotiations and discovery to first chair for jury trials. Wide range of responsibilities included drafting and arguing various dispositive motions. Law Offices of Luis U. Leon, Rockville, MD Associate, October 2000 February 2002. Counsel in general criminal and civil practice firm. Conducted all phases of criminal practice from pre-indictment negotiations and discovery to first chair for jury trials. Areas of civil practice included personal injury, workers compensation, and family law. Conducted all aspects of civil discovery including drafting and responding to interrogatories and requests for documents, and deposing parties and witnesses. Drafted briefs for appeal and presented oral argument. Office of the State s Attorney for Montgomery County, Rockville, MD Assistant State s Attorney, June 1994 October 2000. Assignments included the Economic Crimes Unit, Felony Domestic Violence and Child Sex Crime Unit, General Felony Trial, Juvenile, and District Court Units. Assignments in the Economic Crimes Unit included corporate theft and embezzlement cases. Extensive jury trial experience. Assisted in the training of new prosecutors. 2
Member of Technology Committee assigned to establish specifications and coordinate purchase and implementation of prosecutor software program. Supervised Maryland Rule 16 program for law students prosecuting cases. Katten Muchin Zavis & Dombroff, Washington DC Associate, September 1992 June 1994. Concentrated in defense of personal injury and mass tort actions. Researched, wrote pleadings and motions, and conducted all phases of discovery for aviation disaster, products liability, workers compensation, bankruptcy, and insurance litigation in large civil litigation practice. Coordinated Summer Associate recruitment and program planning and conducted interviews as a Recruiting Committee member. Sixth Judicial Circuit of Maryland, Rockville, MD Judicial Law Clerk, August 1991 August 1992. Clerked for the Honorable Vincent E. Ferretti, Jr. TRAINING Attended: o NDAA Trial Advocacy II (Columbia, SC 2004). o NCDA Career Prosecutor Course (Houston, TX 1998). o NCDA Child Abuse Seminar (San Antonio, TX 1998). Course Instructor Death Investigations, Pristina, Kosovo (2014) Course Instructor Cross Examination and Prosecutorial Ethics, Prizben, Kosovo (2013) Course Instructor American Criminal Justice System certificate course entitled Judicial Reform in Latin America and The United States American University Washington College of Law and the Centro de Estudios de Justicia de las Americas ( Center for Judicial Studies in the Americas - CEJA) (2015) Course Instructor International Commercial Arbitration, certificate course American University Washington College of Law (2013) Course Instructor Ethics and Gang Prosecutions, International Law Enforcement Academy, El Salvador (2013) Course Instructor Using Science and Technology to Combat Crime, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina)(2012) Course Instructor Gang Prevention, United Nations Development Programme, Suva, Fiji (2011) Course Instructor Anti-Money Laundering, Financial Action Task Force-Le Groupe d'action Financière (FATF-GAFI), Bogoto, Colombia (2011) 3
Course Instructor Curso de Formacíon Incial Para Policías Investigadores Científicos y de Inteligencia, (Basic Course for Police Scientific Investigators and Analysts,) Mérida Initiative, San Luís Potosí, Mexico (2010) Course Instructor Testifying in Court, 4 th Amendment Search and Seizure, and Statements, U.S. Department of Justice National Gang Intelligence Center / Bureau of Prisons Gang Analysts Training (2010) Faculty Member at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, SC for state prosecutors (2004 2009) teaching the following courses: Prosecutor Bootcamp Trial Advocacy II Faculty Development Course Instructor Testifying In Court, College Park Police Department (2009) Course Instructor This Is Going on Your Permanent Record, Bowie High School, Bowie Anti-Gang Task Force (2009) Course Instructor Testifying In Court, Maryland National Capital Park Police Department (2009) Course Instructor Testifying In Court, Prince George s County Police Department (2009) Course Instructor Using Forensic Evidence in Gang Cases, International Law Enforcement Academy, San Salvador, El Salvador (DOJ / OPDAT)(2008) Course Instructor Testifying In Court, Federal Bureau of Investigation / Intelligence Analysts, Dallas, Texas (2008) Course Instructor Testifying In Court, Federal Bureau of Investigation / Intelligence Analysts, J. Edgar Hoover Building FBI Headquarters (2007) EDUCATION Southern Methodist University School of Law, Dallas, TX. J.D., 1991 O. Dreeben Law Scholar (1988-89). First Place in Southern Methodist University School of Law Client Counseling Competition; represented law school at 1991 American Bar Association Southwestern Regional Client Counseling Competition. Active in Moot Court Associate Program. Vice-President of Hispanic Law Student Association. 1990-1991 American Bar Association Law School Representative. Member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. University of Maryland, College Park, MD. M.A., 1991 Discipline: English Composition and Rhetoric. Assistant Director of the Judicial Programs Office June 1987 August 1988. Appointed the University of Maryland Campus Advocate 4
from January 1986 June 1987. Also trained and served as a mediator at the University s Mediation Center. University of Maryland, College Park, MD. B.A., 1985 Major: English. Dean s List. Maryland State Senatorial Scholar. Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society. Presiding Officer of the Judicial Board and Coordinator of the Traffic Appeals Office. LEGAL ACTIVITIES Commissioner, Governor s Commission Regarding the Implementation and Use of Body Cameras by Law Enforcement Officers (2015). Member, Continuing Legal Education Committee, Bar Foundation / Bar Association of Montgomery County, MD (2014 Present). Member, Elected to Criminal Law and Practice Section Council, Maryland State Bar Association (2015-2016). Member, Attorney Grievance Committee s Peer Review Committee, (2014 Present). Council Member, Governor s Family Violence Council (2010). Panelist, New Perspectives on Brady and Other Disclosure Obligations: What Really Works?, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Jacob Burns Ethics Center. Co-Chair, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Sentencing Committee (2009 2010). Fellow, Maryland Bar Foundation (2002 Present). Past President and member of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association (2000 2003). Board of Directors, Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (2002 2003). Governor s Task Force on Juvenile Justice (2000 2001). Governor s Juvenile Justice Advisory Council (2001 2005). Montgomery College Paralegal Program Technical Advisory Committee (2001 2002). Fellow of the Maryland State Bar Association Leadership Academy (2000 2001). Montgomery County Bar Association Judicial Selections Committee member (1997 2000; 2002 2003). Maryland Hispanic Bar Association Judicial Selections Committee Member (1996 2003). Member of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Hispanic Alliance (1996 1997). Pupil in American Inns of Court (1993 1994). BAR MEMBERSHIP Admitted to the Bar in Maryland and the District of Columbia. 5