2015–2021 Term Report

PARTNERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY
OF PENNSYLVANIA FOR THE FAIR
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, THE
UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE INNOCENCE
PROJECT CLINIC and other partners to
release a root cause analysis report, also
known as the Baltimore Event Review Team
(BERT) report. The report provides
recommendations on how the criminal
justice system can decrease the occurrence
of wrongful convictions. Recommendations
included best practices for investigating and
charging single witness identification cases,
sharing discovery and evidence between
the SAO and BPD, and developing an
objective team within the SAO to review
claims of innocence.
OCTOBER 2017
The SAO doubled the size of the
Victim & Witness Services Unit,
by having a total of 30 Victim &
Witness advocates and support
staff to meet the needs of
Baltimore City residents when
they may be most vulnerable.
SUCCESSFULLY CONVICTED
EVERY PUBLIC ENEMY #1
who has been brought to trial
since 2015; collectively, their
sentences included six life
sentences plus 700+ years in
prison. This list is no longer
maintained by BPD
HE GUN VIOLENCE
ORCEMENT DIVISION
), on September, the SAO
ounced a collaborative
division devoted to
tigating and prosecuting
rime in Baltimore. GVED
intelligence gathered by
detectives and CSU in the
te’s Attorney’s Office to
hend, charge and convict
c gun offenders who have
identified as top drivers
f crime in Baltimore.
SEPTEMBER 2017
The SAO and the Mid-Atlantic
Innocence Project had their joint
motion to vacate Lamar
Johnson’s convictions granted
and he was released from prison
after serving nearly 14 years for
a crime he did not commit.
VICTIM/WITNESS WAITING
ROOM RENOVATION began in the Mitchell
Courthouse to make it a more welcoming space
for victims and witnesses to receive services and
await their appearances in court. Thanks to grant
funds from the Governor’s Office of Crime
Control and Prevention, the Design Angels
nonprofit, and the Department of General
Services, updates began for a dedicated play
area for children, updated power-integrated
furniture, and a computer so visitors can
access resources while they await trial.
NOVEMBER 2017
BPD Detective Sean Suiter
was found dead due to a
gunshot wound to the head
while on duty in West
Baltimore. His death came one
day before he was scheduled
to testify before a federal
grand jury investigating a
2010 drug-planting incident,
involving the GTTF police
corruption investigation.
2015–2021 TERM REPORT
18ANGLE-RI