In August, 2020, Christopher Nguyen was a police officer for the City of Baltimore. He was found guilty of allowing a man to assault another man as Nguyen looked on and did nothing.
At trial in 2022, he was found guilty and sentenced to 60 days in jail. Nguyen resigned from the force and the judge, while keeping the verdict intact, dropped the jail time.
And here we are in 2024. The former officer, once sworn to protect and serve, is taking his case to the Maryland Supreme Court.
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| The Supreme Court of Maryland |
His appeal will be heard in September, as the court considers whether there is a "duty to protect" incumbent upon police. Specifically, when one person assaults another in the presence of a police officer, is that officer required to do anything about it?
Two other officers testified that they would have separated the two combatants, or at least stood between them. The court will decide whether that testimony proves that Nguyen "grossly departed from the standard of conduct that a reasonable, similarly situated police officer would have observed."
Not to pile on the Baltimore department, but a year ago, a block party turned into a murder scene as several people were shot, two fatally. Police investigated and found “Officer indifference may have compromised the awareness, planning and response to Brooklyn Day prior to the large crowds arriving.”
"Officer indifference"?
What's next? Does anyone have to do anything anymore, or is society crumbling to a point at which police don't have to police? If the court finds for the disgraced former officer, does that mean firefighters won't have to fight fires, teachers won't have to teach, lawyers won't read the law?
Does anyone have any idea what's going on in this crazy world? I just can't believe it would ever have come to this.
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