Justin George is joining The Marshall Project as its first Washington, D.C. correspondent. He will cover the criminal justice policies and politics of the Trump era.
George was previously at the Baltimore Sun, where he embedded with the local police department to cover the internal investigation into the death of Freddie Gray, part of a body of work that made the Sun a Pulitzer finalist. He also wrote the remarkable series on urban gun violence, “Shoot to Kill,” based on scores of interviews with homicide detectives, trauma surgeons, and survivors -- and a professional hit man.
“The Marshall Project has made a big impact on criminal justice and journalism in a very short time, and I’m honored to join the newsroom,” said George. “I look forward to digging deep and examining the politics and crime policies coming from a new administration and how they impact people across the United States. Having covered so many homicides and shootings in Baltimore, I plan to build off my experience and continue writing about regional gun violence and the struggles police departments face patrolling the streets and connecting with communities.”
“We are delighted that Justin is joining our team, bringing the sensibility of a seasoned street reporter to bear upon the policies and politics of the Trump administration,” said Bill Keller, editor-in-chief of The Marshall Project. “From investigating how Jeff Sessions will reshape the Justice Department to tracking the fate of criminal justice reforms in the House and Senate, Justin will bring to the subject a keen awareness of the real world.”
George grew up in Littleton, Colo., and graduated from Columbine High School and the University of Colorado. He began his career at the Daily Camera of Boulder, Colo., before moving to the Daily Press of Newport News, Va., and the Tampa Bay Times, where he exposed sexual abuse of the developmentally disabled and covered Hurricane Katrina.
The Marshall Project is a nonprofit media organization covering criminal justice in the United States. Founded by Neil Barsky in 2014, under the editorial direction of Bill Keller, The Marshall Project has published more than 700 stories, many in partnership with over 70 media organizations. It is the youngest news organization ever to win the Pulitzer Prize.