Attorney Warren Brown with client Anthony C. Spence (The Baltimore Sun)
A school police officer in Maryland has had felony charges dropped against him for hitting a student numerous times. Anthony C. Spence, 44, was charged with felony child abuse and misdemeanor second-degree assault and misconduct in office. The two misdemeanor charges are still active.
In a statement to The Baltimore Sun, spokesman for the Baltimore state’s attorney’s office Rochelle Ritchie said the child abuse charge was dismissed after they determined Spence did not have the student in “temporary care or custody, therefore the child abuse charges are not appropriate.”
Spence’s attorney, Warren Brown, said at a press conference his client is seeking to get back on the payroll of REACH! Partnership School in Baltimore. Spence was suspended without pay from the public middle and high school.
Atlanta Black Star reports a video of the March 1 incident showed Spence slapping, kicking and cursing at a 16-year-old boy while a second officer, Saverna Bias, 53, looked on. Charges were filed after an investigation by the Special Investigation Response Team of the Baltimore Police department, according to a statement by department spokesperson T.J. Smith.
Documents on the charges say one witness told investigators Bias told Spence to slap the teenager “because he’s got too much mouth.” Spence slapped the boy three times. Bias and Spence were responding to a report of intruders when they confronted the student, who is a tenth grader at the school.
Lauren Geisser is a lawyer for the student and his parents. She said the teen was hospitalized for facial and rib injuries. She added that Spence’s misdemeanor assault and misconduct charges each have maximum sentences of 10 years and life, respectively. Geisser said she expects a conviction for the “the egregious acts” according to The Sun.
“As the parent of a Baltimore city school student I was appalled by what I saw.” Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said at a press conference at the time.
The mayor’s exasperation reflects the ever-growing concern of police brutality in the city. Last year, the city awarded the family of Freddie Gray a $6.4 million settlement for his death at the hands of police.
