One of four males accused of attempting to rob and murder a Baltimore police officer at knifepoint was sentenced this week to eight years in prison ? but the city?s police union isn?t happy.
That?s because the three other robbery suspects have gotten off without serious penalties, said Paul Blair, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 3.
“It?s too light. They all should have been put in jail for the longest time possible,” Blair said. “It?s only by the grace of God that Sergeant Chris Nyberg is alive today. He had Marine training. He was able to pull the knife away.”
Glenn Thomas, 20, pleaded guilty Monday in Baltimore City Circuit Court and was sentenced to eight years in prison. Prosecutors placed the charges against his brother, Gary Thomas, 19, on an inactive docket.
A judge previously remanded the cases of the other two accused robbers, both 17, to juvenile court, meaning they will avoid jail time.
Each defendant faced up to life in prison on charges of attempted first-degree murder.
“It shows what a lot of these poor city residents have to go through,” Blair said. “We only get eight years, and with parole and good-time credits, he?ll be out soon. Maybe that?s why we have the crime rate we have in this city. It?s a shame.”
On Nov. 25, 2006, at 3:40 a.m., Sgt. Christopher Nyberg was off duty and in plain clothes, walking in Federal Hill, when four male suspects attacked him, according to charging documents.
One of the youths allegedly grabbed Nyberg around the neck and placed a knife at his throat, saying, “Give me your [expletive]!” Another attacker said, “Yeah, we got another one.”
But Nyberg was able to pull away and shot the teen as he lunged at the officer.
Glenn Thomas then got in a tan van and drove at Nyberg, who fired at the vehicle and struck Thomas, police said. Thomas crashed the van several blocks away.
Joseph Sviatko, a spokesman for the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, said prosecutors opposed a judge’s decision to remand the juveniles in the case to juvenile court..
