Two Maryland prosecutors announced Friday that they would not allow police officers with questionable past conduct to testify against defendants in court. Such officers, they say, lack the credibility to act as witnesses for the state.
Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy released “Do Not Call” lists containing the names of almost 150 police officers that can no longer be used as witnesses.
In addition to the names of the officers, the lists also note the reasons for their inclusion—criteria that varies by jurisdiction. In Prince George’s County, an officer can be put on the list if they lie under oath or are convicted of a crime. They can also land on it if there’s evidence to suggest their past behavior has been motivated by racism, homophobia, or other prejudices.
In Baltimore, an officer can wind up on the list due to criminal activity, a charge or conviction of perjury, or multiple breaches of the 4th Amendment.
Publication of the Do Not Call lists is legal under “Anton’s Law,” which went into effect in Maryland at the start of October. The reform is named after Anton Black, who died in 2018 in a small Eastern Shore town after police officers forced the 19-year-old to the ground and restrained him. One of the officers involved had almost 30 use-of-force reports previously filed against him.
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.
