Alleging that he murdered a Baltimore police officer, prosecutors Wednesday told 21-year-old Brandon Grimes they intend to seek a penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Grimes, who entered the Baltimore City Circuit Court room for his arraignment on crutches after being shot in the leg in January, said he was not guilty in the slaying of Officer Troy Chesley.
As Grimes was being led out of the courtroom, his supporters became unruly and started shouting at the judge and guards.
“Catch the real killer! He didn?t do it!” one shouted. “Dirty [expletive] cops!”
Baltimore police union President Paul Blair Jr. said he believes Grimes should face the death penalty.
“I believe anybody who kills a police officer should receive the ultimate penalty, unless the family doesn?t want it,” he said. “Hopefully, the family was consulted and they made the decision. But as the president of the [police union], I think he should be facing death.”
Baltimore City State?s Attorney spokeswoman Margaret Burns said that in order to seek the death penalty, prosecutors would need to prove that Grimes knew Chesley was a police officer and that Chesley, who was not in uniform, was actually on duty.
“We must follow the law, and the law only provides for the death penalty if it can be proven to the jury that the defendant knew that the victim was a police officer and killed in the line of duty,” she said. “That is the issue we had to weigh heavily.”
Chesley, 34, had just left duty on the morning of Jan. 9 and was slipping a key in his front door when he was shot, according to court documents. Chesley returned fire, and police tracked down Grimes within hours at St. Agnes Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for a gunshot wound.
Police said when Grimes was arrested, he had 17 prior arrests.
Already charged in Chesley?s death, Grimes has since been charged with two other crimes: both first-degree attempted murders. Police say Grimes committed those crimes before shooting Chesley.
