BALTIMORE — Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced the indictment of a Baltimore Police Sergeant on Thursday afternoon.
On Thursday, a grand jury indicted Ethan Newberg with 32 counts of false imprisonment, assault and misconduct in office.
Mosby laid about nine incidents that took place between July 2018 to May 2019 where Sergeant Newberg allegedly harassed, intimidated and assaulted law abiding citizens, many of whom were challenging what he was doing while arresting other citizens.
The Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office began the investigation this summer, after Newberg was arrested and suspended without pay, charged for an alleged assault that was caught on body camera footage in May when he arrested a man who criticized him for making another man sit on a curb during a stop.
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With the help of the Baltimore Police Department, they looked through his body camera footage and found 8 other incidents within a years time.
“What might otherwise appear to be isolated incidents dating back to 2018 turned out to be numerous examples of a consistent pattern and practice of knowing, intentional and unlawful harassment, intimidation, detention, assault, domination and coercive and illegal tactics that were employed against law-abiding citizens of Baltimore City with the intent to instill fear,” said Mosby.
First incident:
On July 1, 2018, he allegedly stopped, detained and assaulted a man without legal cause.
Second incident:
On January 21, 2019, Mosby alleged that Newberg told a man to move away from a scene and that man complied, but Newberg continues to tell him to walk away and follow the man, pressing him up against the wall and calling for him to be detained. Once the man apologized, he was released, Mosby alleged in the press conference.
Third incident:
On February 24, 2019, during a traffic stop. Mosby alleged that Newberg demanded a man sitting on a nearby stoop show his proof that he lived there. The man got up and started to walk away but Newberg followed him and arrested him for trespassing. Mosby alleges that man was later released.
Fourth incident:
On March 7, 2019, in the 200 block of South Pulaski Street, Mosby alleged Sergeant Newberg unlawfully stopped, detained, assaulted, harassed and intimidated an unknown man by detaining him without legal cause or justification. When responding to assist other officers in a situation that was already under control, Newberg saw the man crossing the street and commented to his colleague, "The guy right here in the glasses, remember him running out from us the other day? Come on, take him." Sergeant Newberg then ran after the man, and forcibly took him into custody.
Mosby continued alledging that as the man asked why he was being arrested, Newberg answered "disorderly". As the man was being led to the squad car, Newberg followed him and said "you know me bud, you know better than that". When Newberg was challenged by the man, asking why he was being arrested, Newberg stated "I told you already why you're getting locked up, disorderly and you were putting my officers in jeopardy. You incited a crowd". There was no crowd. As another citizen walked by, Newberg ordered that person to keep walking, threatening "I'm going to treat you like a child, count to three and then put you in time out".
Fifth incident:
On April 4, 2019, in the 500 block of South Longwood Street, Mosby alleged Sergeant Newberg unlawfully stopped, detained, assaulted, harassed and intimidated who will be known as J.C. and T.E., two other unknown women by detaining them without legal cause or justification.
J.C., who was in the area, walked towards his car. Mosby alleged without justification, Newberg demanded identification from him. As J.C. gave Newberg the identification, Newberg and another officer forcibly placed JC into handcuffs. Newberg then instructed T.E. and others to scoot back which they complied with. T.E. was walking backwards while recording on his cellphone and Newberg reached out and forcibly took T.E. into custody.
Sixth incident:
On Aprill 22, 2019, in the area of the 500 block of Bentlow Avenue, Mosby alleged Sergeant Newberg unlawfully stopped, detained, assaulted, harassed and intimidated an unknown man by detaining him without legal cause or justification.
Mosby alleged Sergeant Newberg arrived to assist another officer, when an unknown man was in his row home on the second floor with his window open asking what was happening across the street. Sergeant Newberg instructed the man to come out of his house. Newberg instructed one of his subordinates to arrest the man if he didn't come out of the house. When the man exited his house, Sergeant Newberg forcibly took him into custody. When the man asked why he was being arrested, Newberg stated that he had put an officers safety in jeopardy and accused him of inciting a crowd, there was no crowd at the time.
Seventh incident:
On April 29, 2019, in the 200 block of West Pratt Street, Mosby alleged Sergeant Newberg unlawfully stopped, detained, assaulted, harassed and intimidated the person known as C.K. by detaining him without legal cause or justification.
According to Mosby, Newberg arrived on scene of an arrest while C.K. walked by and asked if the individual under arrest needed medical attention. While another officer argued with C.K. about his concern for the individual, Newberg allegedly yelled "take him, just take him" and C.K. was forcibly taken into custody at his order.
Eighth incident:
On May 14, 2019 in the 1200 block of Frederick Avenue, Mosby alleged Sergeant Newberg unlawfully stopped, detained, assaulted, harassed and intimidated the person known as M.F. by detaining him without legal cause or justification.
Mosby alleged Newberg and another officer were addressing a parking violation, when M.F. who was operating a FedEx truck, recognized his coworker engaged with the police. M.F. pulled over to offer assistance and Newberg approached him stating "I'll tell you what, you got three seconds to" at which M.F. closed his door and attempted to leave. Sergeant Newberg then ordered a fellow officer to stop M.F. and his vehicle.
As M.F. left his vehicle and produced identification, Mosby stated he cursed at Newberg, at which time, Newberg took M.F. into custody. Mosby alleged that Newberg made several comments to the man not being worth his job and attempted to call M.F.'s employers to notify them of the arrest. He claimed "cussing at the police put their lives at risk"
Ninth incident:
The last happened on May 30, 2019 and spurred this investigation. Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said Newberg stated in his police report that while conducting a warrant check, a passerby challenged him and became aggressive, prompting Newberg to arrest him. But body camera footage released to the media showed the passerby complaining to the sergeant about him arresting the warrant check subject on a wet sidewalk. That passerby then walks away but Newberg chases him and grabs him and another officer tackled and arrested him.
Mosby said every incident was documented on body camera footage. She said her office started working backwards after the May 30 incident, and with the help of the Baltimore City Police Department, got hold of Newberg’s non-arrest body camera footage that would not have normally been turned over to their office.
Mosby said that Newberg served in a supervisory capacity in the Southwest District and his subordinates working in conjunction with or under order of Newberg.
Newberg turned himself in this afternoon after the indictment. He faces up to 110 years in prison.
