Maryland Supreme Court Reverses Reckless Endangerment Conviction of Baltimore Officer

The Maryland Supreme Court issued a ruling on Wednesday that overturned the conviction of former Baltimore police officer Christopher Nguyen for reckless endangerment. The court's decision stems from an incident in August 2020 when Nguyen failed to prevent an assault suspect from kicking a victim who was lying unresponsive on the ground.

In a 6-1 opinion delivered on July 30, Justice Brynja Booth stated that prosecutors did not demonstrate that Nguyen had a legal obligation to protect the victim, Wayne Brown, nor was there a 'special relationship' that would necessitate his intervention. The court's ruling highlighted that the kick delivered by the suspect, Kenneth Somers, was spontaneous and unforeseeable.

Nguyen was convicted in 2022 following a bench trial in Baltimore City Circuit Court, where he was initially sentenced to a year in jail, with 60 days to be served, and a year and a half of probation. This sentence was later modified to avoid jail time. The Maryland Appellate Court upheld the conviction in January 2024.

On the day of the incident, Nguyen, a rookie officer, responded to a report of a fight in Northeast Baltimore. Upon arrival, he found Brown unconscious on the sidewalk and Somers in a nearby vehicle. After calling for medical assistance, Nguyen witnessed Somers kick Brown in the head. Both officers present quickly arrested Somers.

Justice Booth noted that while officers have a general duty to protect the public, the evidence did not support that Nguyen had a specific duty to intervene in this case. She concluded that the lack of a 'special relationship' between Nguyen and Brown meant that a criminal conviction could not be sustained.

Justice Shirley Watts dissented, arguing that Nguyen's actions were reckless and that he had an ethical obligation to protect Brown, who was clearly a victim of a crime. Watts pointed out that Nguyen appeared to sympathize with Somers, referring to him as a 'good person' during discussions with other officers.

Nguyen's attorney, Todd Hesel, expressed satisfaction with the court's ruling, emphasizing that while Nguyen acknowledged his error, it did not warrant a criminal conviction. The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office has not commented on the ruling, and the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police praised the court's decision, emphasizing the challenges faced by officers in high-pressure situations.

Reported by HarborBeat based on Maryland Daily Record (source).