Attorneys for the Anne Arundel police officer asked to resign for his role in a controversial high-speed chase said the 21-year veteran is being used as a scapegoat under political pressure from county officials.
Sgt. Max Weinstein, 49, faces 61 departmental charges, including neglect of duty, for his supervisory role in the May 21 police chase of three suspects who had slipped past undercover officers and entered a stolen federal government van under surveillance.
County officials, including Councilman Josh Cohen, had publicly questioned the department’s handling of the dangerous chase that went the wrong way down Aris T. Allen Boulevard and injured three officers.
“When these politicians beat a little bit on police, then police look for a scapegoat,” said Tom Pavlinic, one of Weinstein’s attorneys, who accused the department of making an example of his client while protecting other officers involved.
“Sgt. Weinstein did everything he was supposed to do. He’s being singled out for political purposes, and it’s really unethical.”
Cohen could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Following the incident, an Internal Affairs investigation inquired as to why officers hadn’t disabled the stolen vehicle or removed a sawed-off shotgun from inside when they first spotted the abandoned vehicle at the Harry S. Truman park and ride lot outside Annapolis.
As the supervisor in charge that day, Weinstein was immediately placed on emergency suspension and stripped of his police powers, said his wife and attorney, Charlotte Weinstein, who blasted the department for giving other officers involved a lighter punishment, such as administrative leave with pay.
She said Weinstein was faulted for the chase even though his shift ended at 3 p.m., and the crime scene had been turned over to another sergeant and supervisor, “both of whom had ample opportunity to change any decisions or orders that had been made by [Weinstein]” but did not.
Anne Arundel police declined comment Wednesday and referred questions to the legal department.
They placed a gag order on Weinstein, his attorneys said, and refused to disclose what actions were taken against other officers involved.
Two undercover officers had been called to the scene to stake out the vehicle, but didn’t notice when three suspects entered the van and sped off, striking a police cruiser head-on before stopping more than an hour later at a dead end on Newtowne Drive.
The 15-year-old driver was turned over in July to the state Department of Juvenile Services.
His two passengers, Stephon Fortune, 18, of Washington, D.C., and James Thomas Jr., 22, of Camp Springs, pleaded guilty in November to the unlawful taking of a vehicle and were sentenced to one year each in jail.
Weinstein’s attorneys said he has not resigned and plans to fight the departmental charges at an administrative hearing.
