Baltimore Prosecutor on Officer Charged with Attempted Murder in Police Chase

Shocking Police Chase Incident

• 🚨 A Baltimore police officer, Robert Parks, has been charged with attempted murder following a viral video of a police chase.
• ⚠️ The incident involved Officer Parks using his cruiser as a weapon, attempting to run down a man on foot.
• 🚓 The police chief initially believed the video was fake due to its alarming nature.

Charges and Potential Penalties

• ⚖️ Officer Parks faces charges including attempted murder, assault, reckless driving, and misconduct in office.
• ⛓️ If convicted, he could face up to 65 years in prison.
• 🚫 He has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the case.

State's Attorney's Investigation and Perspective

• 🔍 Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates conducted an independent investigation, reviewing additional videos and angles.
• 🗣️ Bates stated that while he cannot definitively say what the officer was thinking, the video evidence speaks for itself.
• 📜 The prosecution's theory is based on the officer's actions, which appear to violate Baltimore Police Department's general orders regarding pursuits and the use of vehicles.

Legal Standards and Officer Conduct

• 🚗 The law and police general orders indicate that a vehicle is a dangerous, deadly weapon.
• 🚫 Officers are generally instructed to let individuals with misdemeanor warrants flee, rather than engage in dangerous pursuits.
• 💥 The indictment details multiple instances where the officer drove directly at the individual, even hitting him with the vehicle at one point.

Impact on Other Cases

• 📉 Cases involving Officer Parks will be reviewed, and if his testimony was crucial, those cases may be dismissed.
• 🚫 Prosecutors are unable to call him as a witness in any ongoing or future cases.
• ⚖️ The office will proceed on a case-by-case basis to determine if cases can be proven without his testimony.