Baltimore Police officer convicted of assaulting a teenager
BALTIMORE -- A Baltimore Police Department officer has been convicted of second-degree assault and misconduct and office after he threatened the life of a teenager in April 2020, according to authorities.
Officer Maxwell Dundore assaulted a teenager after he saw him getting out of a car that had been reported stolen.
Dundore slammed the teen face down on the concrete, wrapped his arm around his neck and told him, "I swear to God, I'll choke you out if you don't stop."
As the teen tried to escape, the officer held him under his chin, and the 17-year-old struggled to breathe. Again, Dundore threatened him.
"I will choke you," he said. "I will kill you."
Prosecutors said after the teen was restrained, Dundore kicked him in the head.
NEW: Baltimore City police officer and sergeant indicted for conduct related to arrest of 17yo last year @wjz ⬇️ State’s Attorney’s Office release pic.twitter.com/4ZI1LSVIXz
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) July 16, 2021
Now, Dundore faces up to a decade in state prison for assaulting the teenager, according to the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.
As for his misconduct in office, there is no maximum sentence for the common-law crime, city staff said.
Dundore's sentencing is scheduled for June 12, 2023, according to city staff.
His co-defendent, Sgt. Brendan O'Leary, is slated to go on trial on April 18, 2023, for charges of making a false statement and misconduct in office.
O'Leary had reviewed the video of the incident.
Prosecutors said his report did not reflect what the video showed.
O'Leary reportedly said the teenager had grabbed Dundore's shoelaces, causing him to trip and then inadvertently strike him in the face. What the video really showed was that Dundore deliberately kicked the teenager's head, prosecutors said.
"I campaigned for this office to change the culture of accountability in Baltimore, regardless of status or rank," Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates said. "This conviction exemplifies that commitment and is vitally important in restoring public trust in the criminal justice system by reaffirming that officers who break the law will be held accountable for their actions."
Assistant State's Attorney Ernest Reitz prosecuted the case.
Both Dundore and O'Leary have had their police powers suspended, according to a Baltimore Police Department spokesman.