Attorney General Independent Investigations Division Investigating Death of Man in Baltimore City

[Editor]

BALTIMORE, MD (August 5, 2022) –The Independent Investigations Division of the Office of the Attorney General is investigating the death of a man that occurred in Baltimore City Thursday morning.

On August 4, 2022, at approximately 11:15 a.m., Baltimore Police Officers responded to the 2400 block of Sherwood Avenue for the report of an overdose. Once on scene, an officer located an adult male in the roadway in distress being restrained by a citizen. The officer handcuffed and put leg restraints on the man in an attempt to restrain him. Emergency Medical personnel arrived on scene and began treating the man, who became unconscious. Once inside the ambulance the officer removed the handcuffs and leg restraints. The man was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy will be performed by The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and will determine the cause and manner of death.

The body-worn camera of the involved officer was active during the incident. The video may be released in accordance with Baltimore Police Department and Independent Investigations Division policies.

The Independent Investigations Division of the Attorney General’s Office and the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) continue to investigate this incident.

The Maryland General Assembly, in Senate Bill 600, passed a law mandating that the Office of Attorney General (OAG) investigate all police-involved fatalities in the State of Maryland beginning October 1, 2021. These investigations are conducted by the office’s Independent Investigations Division, in conjunction with the Maryland State Police. The OAG and BPD have reached an agreement to allow for the Attorney General’s investigation while still allowing BPD to meet the investigatory obligations of its federal consent decree.

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[Editor]

Decedent and Officer Identified in Baltimore Death Investigation

BALTIMORE, MD (August 8, 2022) –The Independent Investigations Division of the Office of the Attorney General has identified the decedent and involved officer in the in-custody death that occurred on August 4 in Baltimore City.

The decedent has been identified as 57-year-old Eugene Douglas, of Baltimore, Maryland. The involved officer has been identified as Baltimore Police Officer Gregory Vilchez, a 7.5-year veteran assigned to the Operations Bureau.

The Independent Investigations Division continues to investigate the circumstances of the in-custody death. To read the original news release, click here.

 

[Editor]

Body-Worn Camera Video from Death Investigation in Baltimore City Released

BALTIMORE, MD (April 18, 2022) –Today, the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) released the body-worn camera footage of the in-custody death that occurred on August 4 in Baltimore City. The decedent was identified as 57-year-old Eugene Douglas of Baltimore.

The video can be viewed here. The release of the body-camera footage is in accordance with both the Independent Investigation Division’s (IID) protocols and the agreement between the IID and BPD for officer-involved death investigations.

The Independent Investigations Division continues to investigate the circumstances of the in-custody death. To read the original news release, click here.

The Maryland General Assembly, in Senate Bill 600, passed a law mandating that the Office of Attorney General (OAG) investigate all police-involved fatalities in the State of Maryland beginning October 1, 2021. These investigations are conducted by the office’s Independent Investigations Division, in conjunction with the Maryland State Police. The OAG and BPD have reached an agreement to allow for the Attorney General’s investigation while still allowing BPD to meet the investigatory obligations of its federal consent decree.

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[Monello]

 

[Editor]

Interim Investigative Report Released for August 2022 In-Custody Death Investigation in Baltimore City

BALTIMORE, MD (March 31, 2023)– The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Office of the Attorney General today released its interim investigative report of the August 4, 2022, in-custody death investigation in Baltimore.

On August 4, 2022, at approximately 11:15 a.m., Baltimore Police Department officers responded to the 2400 block of Sherwood Avenue for the report of a possible drug overdose. Once on scene, Officer Gregory Vilchez located an adult male, later identified as Eugene Douglas, in distress being restrained by a civilian in the roadway. Officer Vilchez handcuffed and put leg restraints on Mr. Douglas to restrain him and prevent further injury. Emergency medical personnel arrived on the scene moments later and began treating Mr. Douglas, who became unconscious. Medics then placed Mr. Douglas on a stretcher and put him inside an ambulance. Once inside the ambulance, Officer Vilchez removed the handcuffs and leg restraints as requested by paramedics. Mr. Douglas was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Because all aspects of the investigation were final other than the autopsy report, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office requested the IID to provide an interim report of its investigation. The IID forwarded its interim investigative report to the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office on February 8, 2023. The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office notified the IID on March 24 of its decision not to prosecute the case.

The IID’s report contains detailed investigative findings and an analysis of relevant legal issues. Because the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office —not the IID—retains prosecution authority in this case, the report does not make any recommendations as to whether any individual should or should not be charged. A copy of the interim investigative report can be found here.

By law, the IID’s report must remain confidential until any related prosecution is completed or the State’s Attorney’s Office declines to prosecute. If the local State’s Attorney decides to prosecute the matter, the IID will release the report, with appropriate redactions for confidentiality, within 30 days of a final judgment of all defendants in the case. If the local State’s Attorney declines to prosecute, the IID will release the report, with appropriate redactions for confidentiality, within 30 days of that determination.