Holland & Knight Successfully Represents Victim of Rogue Baltimore Police Unit in Federal Civil Rights Case

WASHINGTON (December 15, 2020) – Holland & Knight has won a favorable monetary settlement in its representation of the plaintiff in a federal civil case against the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), the mayor and city council, and various police officers of the Baltimore Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) alleging federal civil rights violations for the unconstitutional and unlawful conduct of the defendants.

Holland & Knight's client was robbed at gunpoint by four on-duty officers of the GTTF who threatened to blow off his head, stole $18,000 in cash and arrested him for a handgun in the car that, in truth, was planted there by the arresting officers. He spent six months in jail on this fabricated charge.

Over many years, GTTF officers stole money, assaulted citizens, conducted unlawful searches and seizures, lied in internal documents and to the judicial system in testimony and affidavits, and illegally planted evidence, resulting in unfair and improper convictions such as in the case of the firm's client. To date, 13 BPD officers have been charged criminally, many of whom were convicted of engaging in a criminal racketeering conspiracy described by one of the officers as a “criminal enterprise.”

Benjamin Genn, an associate in Holland & Knight’s Washington office, led the firm’s pro bono team working on this case. He was supported by Partner Paul Kiernan and Associate Jessica Farmer.