The Maryland Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of Christopher Nguyen, a former Baltimore Police officer, who was found guilty of reckless endangerment for his inaction during an assault incident in 2020.
In a decision released on Wednesday, the court ruled 6-1 that prosecutors did not sufficiently establish that law enforcement officers have a legal obligation to prevent a sudden and unpredictable assault. Justice Brynja M. Booth authored the majority opinion, which spanned 36 pages.
The case arose from an incident on August 12, 2020, when Nguyen responded to a report of a fight on Kolb Avenue in Northeast Baltimore. Upon arrival, he encountered Wayne Brown lying on the ground, unresponsive and injured. Nguyen spoke with Kenneth Somers, who admitted to attacking Brown over a car theft. During this interaction, Somers kicked Brown while Nguyen was present.
Nguyen was convicted by Baltimore Circuit Judge Kendra Y. Ausby in 2022, but the Supreme Court's ruling has now vacated that conviction. In her dissent, Justice Shirley M. Watts argued that Nguyen had a duty to protect Brown and characterized his failure to act as “obviously reckless.”
Nguyen, who testified that he felt overwhelmed during the incident, expressed regret and acknowledged he would have acted differently if given another chance. His attorney, Todd Hesel, expressed relief at the ruling, stating that it was a significant burden lifted from Nguyen.
Somers, the assailant, was subsequently convicted of first-degree assault and reckless endangerment, receiving a seven-year prison sentence. Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates commented on the case, suggesting that it unfairly held law enforcement accountable for the actions of others.
Nguyen had initially been sentenced to serve one year in jail, with 60 days to be served, but this was later modified, resulting in no time served.
Reported by HarborBeat based on thebanner.com (source).
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