A Baltimore police officer won’t face charges after holding a loaded gun to a restrained man’s head.
According to the Baltimore Banner, the state attorney’s office declined to pursue charges against Detective Connor Johnson following his encounter with 24-year-old Jaemaun Joyner.
Police Commissioner Richard Worley backed Johnson despite Joyner’s attorneys calling the officer’s actions an “act of terrorism.”
“Based on our review, we will not be proceeding with any charges against either Mr. Joyner or the officer involved,” spokesman James Bentley said in a statement.
Joyner was attending a vigil in East Baltimore on May 24 when officers responded to a report about an armed robbery in the area. Joyner was detained by police while standing near someone who officers believed matched the description of the robber. Body camera footage shows Joyner on his back as multiple officers held his arms and body down. Johnson then grabbed Joyner’s neck and held his weapon to the 24-year-old’s temple.
Police claimed that Joyner reached for a gun, which his attorneys say the video refutes. Joyner’s attorneys also noted that holding a gun to his head doesn’t comply with department policy.
A loaded gun and drugs were reportedly found in Joyner’s pockets. However, charges against the 24-year-old were dropped after his attorneys shared body camera footage with prosecutors.
At the time, Worley said Johnson “was out there doing his job, in an area where we want him to be, and going after individuals with guns.”
The Baltimore chapter of the NAACP expressed outrage over the incident and Worley’s comments, saying it would launch an investigation “to determine whether we believe he is fit to continue to lead law enforcement in our city.”
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