Police Lawsuit: Hearing For Suspended Officer Postponed

Annapolis MD

24 February, 2021

3:06 PM

Description

MILLERSVILLE, MD — Anne Arundel County postponed Wednesday's disciplinary hearing for suspended police officer Daniel Reynolds. The county announced the delay late Monday night, the Capital Gazette reported. Anne Arundel said it pushed the proceeding "due to witness unavailability." Officials did not identify that witness or release a new date. Use Of Force Reynolds came under fire after a lawsuit accused him of kneeling on the neck of Odenton resident Daniel Jarrells. The suit claimed that Jarrells, a Black man, was already handcuffed when police tackled him to the ground on Feb. 14, 2019. A video of the incident is available here. The clip contains profanity. Jarrells filed his claim on July 20, 2020, seeking at least $75,000 in damages. His complaint also asks for a court order to ban the use of force on handcuffed arrestees. Patch's full coverage of the lawsuit is posted at this link. Timothy Altomare, the former chief of the Anne Arundel County Police Department, retired the day after Jarrells announced his suit. Altomare's retirement letter said he cannot "endorse a future in which cop's rights are stripped away and your officers are treated like criminals." Disciplinary Hearing Reynolds is entitled to a hearing to determine if he faces further punishment at work. He is guaranteed this privilege under state legislation to protect police, known as the Maryland Law Enforcement Officer's Bill of Rights. This proceeding is called a trial board. These boards must be public, but Marylanders do not have a right to unbridged attendance like they do for legal proceedings. Coronavirus precautions would have made it more challenging for residents to attend the meeting if it were not called off. If the trial board would have continued as scheduled, locals would not have been allowed in the room where the hearing took place. Residents would not have been able to watch the stream from home either. They could only view the event from one of five auxiliary locations across the county. Total attendance would have been capped at 148 people, split between each venue. "This is not the level of transparency we have asked for, nor is it the level of transparency we need!" the Anne Arundel County chapter of Showing up for Racial Justice said in an email. The advocacy group urged its members Monday to demand more accountability from their representatives. The police department agreed to add more viewing locations for the eventual make-up date, the protesters said the following day. The trial board is one step in deciding whether Reynolds keeps his job. There are currently no criminal charges filed against him, and the lawsuit remains a civil dispute. Like what you're reading? Invite a friend to subscribe to free Annapolis newsletters and real-time email alerts. RELATED: Body Cameras Will Be Required For Anne Arundel County PoliceFirst Black Woman Nominated To Lead Anne Arundel County PolicePittman Names Interim Police Chief After Lawsuit Against Police'I Can't Even Breathe': AA County Police Chief Retires After SuitParalympic Star, Pastor, Mental Health Advocate 'Back The Blue' Have a story idea? Please contact me at [email protected] with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.