Baltimore Police Officer Charged With Brutality

A Baltimore police officer has been charged with police brutality, thanks in part to a video of the incident. The officer’s attorneys are disputing the charge.

Officer Vincent Cosom Jr. got into an altercation with Baltimore resident Kollin Truss. The altercation was caught on CitiWatch cameras and showed Cosom punching Truss in the face once things got heated. Following the incident, Cosom completed a report saying Truss had assaulted him.

Wednesday, prosecutors charged Cosom with second-degree assault as well as perjury and misconduct after the video evidence suggested Truss didn’t assault him.  Cosom’s attorneys say the case has been mishandled because Cosom was never arrested and the case didn’t go through a grand jury.

“He feels very alone. He’s confronted often from people on the street with mockery,” Truss’ attorney, Tony Garcia, said. “It’s very tough on him. The officer is still charged with only a misdemeanor. The second-degree assault charge — we’re disappointed that he wasn’t charged with first-degree assault, which is a felony. We’re also disappointed that the other officers who participated were not charged.”

This past September, Truss’ attorney filed a $70 million civil suit against Cosom, who was suspended by the Baltimore Police Department without pay following the altercation.  Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said Cosom “remained on the job for three months after the incident because there was a breakdown in communication.”

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake also chimed in on the conviction, saying “I am confident in the process. This was something that I take very seriously, that the commissioner takes very seriously. We were very disappointed, and I’m grateful that the process is moving forward.”

Vincent Cosom Jr. is awaiting sentencing regarding his assault of Kollin Truss.  The video of the incident, which happened in June, was not released until Septmember.