Montgomery, Howard Counties to Swap Investigations into Police-Related Deaths

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The recent death of a Montgomery County man after police used a Taser to subdue him is being investigated by Howard County authorities as part of a new agreement to have outside agencies look into deaths involving police.

The state’s attorneys from Montgomery and Howard counties said at a Monday news conference that they will exchange cases when someone dies from a police shooting, in police custody or other circumstances. Authorities said they hope the move helps to shore up public trust in the criminal justice system, especially among communities of color.

“All use of force cases resulting in death will no longer be prosecuted by prosecutors in the county where the death occurred,” Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said, reports WTOP.

The effort is a way to build faith in the community about his office’s ability to fairly resolve issues when police use of force is questioned, McCarthy said.

Last year there were two cases in each county where people died in police custody or through the use of force, he said. Both prosecutors are willing to make similar agreements with other counties, such as Prince George’s County.

“Our mutual hope is that it will help build (faith) in all segments of our community, particularly those segments of our community that don’t have traditionally a lot of faith in the independence of how we work and bring these cases to justice,” McCarthy told Montgomery Community Media.

He and Dario Bracolino, the Howard County state’s attorney, began working on the arrangement before “anything that has occurred in the state of Maryland and in Baltimore,” McCarthy says.

One case has already been transferred to Howard County prosecutors. Dajuan Graham, 40, of Burtonsville, died on May 12, two days after he was stunned by Montgomery County police. A woman attacked by Graham, and police, believed he was high on PCP when Montgomery County Police used a Taser to arrest him; he died in a Silver Spring hospital.

Discussions about exchanging cases in police-involved deaths was already under way before the riots that disrupted Baltimore last month when a man died in the custody of that city’s police department.

Six police officers have been been charged in the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, according to Baltimore City’s top prosecutor. One is accused of second-degree murder.

Gray’s death came after repeated failures by officers to render aid and adhere to Baltimore Police Department policy of buckling passengers into police vans, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said.

MORE ON PATCH:

• Why Baltimore Burned
• Man Dies Two Days After Police Use Taser to Make Arrest
• Mayor Asks Justice Department to Investigate Baltimore Police
• How 6 Officers Contributed to Death of Freddie Gray: State’s Attorney