BALTIMORE, MD – Yesterday, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced his decision to not seek charges in the February 16, 2024 fatal police in-custody incident in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
On Friday, February 16, 2024, at approximately 7:56 p.m., an officer with the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) arrived at the 10700 block of Lake Arbor Way in Largo, Maryland, in response to 911 calls for an unknown male knocking on doors in the neighborhood. The officer encountered an adult man, later identified as Joseph Holmes, walking in the middle of the roadway. The officer asked Mr. Holmes if he was okay and advised him to sit nearby. Mr. Holmes then laid down on a lawn and, based on his interactions with Mr. Holmes, the officer requested an ambulance. A second PGPD officer arrived, and the two officers determined that Mr. Holmes would be transported to a hospital for a medical evaluation. An off-duty officer from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) and a third PGPD officer arrived and began assisting with Mr. Holmes, who was handcuffed in preparation for the hospital transport. At approximately 8:10 p.m., Mr. Holmes went into medical distress and became unresponsive. The officers immediately began rendering medical aid and removed the handcuffs. An emergency medical services team arrived and took over resuscitation efforts. Mr. Holmes was pronounced dead on scene a short time later.
The Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division (IID) began investigating the fatal in-custody incident on February 16, 2024, and concluded its investigation on October 17, 2024. After completing its investigation and evaluating all the available evidence, the Office of the Attorney General has determined that none of the officers involved in the fatal in-custody incident committed a crime under Maryland law. Accordingly, the Attorney General has declined to prosecute any of the officers in this case…