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A Baltimore Police officer who ran a red light and struck and killed a man riding a scooter has been indicted on six counts including manslaughter, reckless driving and negligent driving.
Officer Alexis Acosta, a more than two-year veteran, ran a red light at the intersection of East Biddle Street and North Montford Avenue in Broadway East at about 12:40 p.m. on June 21, 2022, while responding to an emergency call. That’s when he hit Terry Harrell, who was riding a scooter on the way home from a therapist appointment.
Harrell, 58, of Baltimore, died two days after the crash.
In an unrelated case, Officer Cejus Watson, a more-than 11 year veteran, was indicted on charges of theft and misconduct in office. He’s accused of leaving his post at the Baltimore Police Department’s headquarters for almost 2 1/2 hours while on the clock to sell drugs at a tattoo shop in Baltimore County on Sept. 29, 2022.
Speaking at a news conference, Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said the cases that his office brings to court are strong because it partners with trustworthy and reliable officers.
“The allegations against these two officers damages the relationships by calling into question the integrity and ability to protect and serve the citizens of Baltimore,” Bates said. “As state’s attorney, I have a duty to hold them accountable like any other individual who breaks the law.”
Bates described the allegations against Watson as “especially concerning.” That’s because Bates said they remind him of the Gun Trace Task Force, a corrupt elite plainclothes unit whose members robbed people, planted evidence and sold drugs.
He said there are a lot of officers who are risking their lives every day and working hard to “overcome that terrible stain on our city’s history.”
The Maryland Office of the Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division investigated the crash with police and previously released two videos of the collision.
In an interview, Bates said officers must follow certain rules and procedures when speeding and going through red lights.
If they violate them, he said, “we will hold you accountable.” He described prosecuting officers as “really difficult and nuanced.”
“This is a hard case,” Bates said. “I do see it on both sides, but at the end of the day, my job says this is what I must do.”
Vernia Lee Harrell, Terry Harrell’s wife, previously told reporters that he had a “kind smile.” He cared for his grandchildren, she said, as well as children who lived in the neighborhood.
The Harrell family’s civil attorney, Alex Binder, noted that a grand jury composed of people who live in Baltimore heard the case and issued an indictment.
“Our position is that the residents of Baltimore City have spoken and made their decision,” Binder said. “We are going to let the justice system let this play out. And we’re going to hope that justice prevails.”
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Neither Acosta nor Watson could be reached for comment.
The president of the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3, Sgt. Mike Mancuso, could not be reached.
In an email, Lindsey Eldridge, a police spokesperson, said Acosta is on paid administrative duty while his police powers are suspended.
Watson, she said, is suspended without pay. His police powers are also suspended.
In 2022, Watson was indicted on a charge of unlawful distribution of marijuana in Baltimore County. He’s set to stand trial on June 1. His attorney, Chaz Ball, could not be reached.
It’s unclear when Acosta and Watson are expected back in court in the new cases.
Baltimore Banner reporter Justin Fenton contributed to this story.
dylan.segelbaum@thebaltimorebanner.com
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Dylan Segelbaum is the courts reporter at The Baltimore Banner.
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