Maryland Bill Named For Anton Black Who Died After Police Struggle
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — It started with a traffic stop in the small Eastern Shore town of Greensboro, Md., by a police officer.
"September 15, 2018 was a day none of us will ever forget. That is the day we lost Anton," his sister Latoya Holley said.
Video: Body Cam Footage Released Of Anton Black's Arrest
Black died Sept. 15 after an 11-minute struggle with three Greensboro police officers and a civilian outside his family's home on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
What no one knew is one of those police officers had allegedly racked up dozens of citizens complaints in Delaware before coming to Greensboro.
The family wanted information from police about the investigation and the officers.
"To lose him in the manner that we did and not receive the answers we were asking, we were actually begging for for months, it was completely devastating," Holley said.
Now, the House judiciary committee is evaluating a bill that would require prompt release of information by police about an investigation and prior complains.
The bill's sponsor, Delegate Gabriel Acevero from Montgomery County, is calling it Anton Black's Law.
"The family and county that raised this young man deserves answers and they didn't get it for months," Acevero said.
The bill's backers call this legislation a priority. For the family, it's been a long ordeal.
Anton's father, Antone Black, said he hasn't been able to sleep since his son's death.
"I can't sleep. I still hear him saying 'Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me," Black said.
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The measure would require the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to share documentation relating to investigations and prior complaints lodged against officers involved in an investigation.
An autopsy report from the chief medical examiner's office about the 19-year-old's death says a struggle with police likely contributed to his death.
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