The city State?s Attorney?s Office postponed the trial of the handcuffed man allegedly assaulted by a Baltimore police officer due to an ongoing investigation of the incident, the office said.
City state?s attorney spokeswoman Margaret Burns said that after reviewing the tape, her office decided to postpone Glen Curry?s trial.
“After reviewing the video, we requested a postponement so prosecutors could continue their investigation,” Burns said.
Previously, the Baltimore City State?s Attorney?s Office would only say the tape was being “reviewed.”
A video of an arrest obtained by The Examiner showed a Baltimore police officer allegedly punching and shoving Curry, and throwing him to the sidewalk. Curry, who was handcuffed during the alleged assault, was later charged with possession of heroin and resisting arrest.
Curry, 53, a bar manager, disputes the charges.
Police spokesman Matt Jablow has defended the arrest. “It was a good arrest of an officer removing a violent criminal from the street,” he said. Jablow also said Curry had an extensive criminal record, but the prosecutors disputed the claim, saying Curry had no public criminal record.
Police officials had no comment on the postponement.
Curry?s attorney, Granville Templeton III, said it was important that the State?s Attorney?s Office investigate the incident fully. “We?re pleased that the state?s attorney is looking into this before the trial. Baltimore City police officers should be held to the same standards as all citizens,” he said.
Templeton said he believes the case will be dropped because, he said, the officer did not have probable cause to stop his client for trespassing. Templeton said he has provided the state attorney?s Office proof that Curry lived in the neighborhood.
“There was no probable cause to stop my client,” he said.
Burns would not give a timetable as to when the investigation would be completed, only saying that it was “ongoing.”
A new trial date has been set for Oct. 30.
