The Maryland Attorney General's Office has declined to file criminal charges against a Baltimore County police officer in the Feb. 16 death of Samuel Brown, 56, concluding investigators found no evidence the officer intended to kill Brown and that there was insufficient evidence to prove involuntary manslaughter, according to a report released Thursday.
AG cites self-defense concerns after video review
State investigators reviewed body-worn camera footage that captured the interaction in the early morning hours at the intersection of Security Boulevard and Whitehead Court in Gwynn Oak. The report says the video shows Brown asleep in his car when Officer Derek Hadel responded to a 911 call about a vehicle sitting for a long period.
According to the attorney general's report, Hadel knocked on Brown's window to wake him. The footage shows Brown turning on his windshield wipers and reaching toward the center console without opening his window as instructed. The report says Hadel opened the car door and repeatedly told Brown to get out; Brown initially refused.
State investigators say video shows Brown exiting the vehicle and approaching the officer. The report describes Hadel pushing Brown back and telling him to return to his vehicle, with Brown appearing to slap twice at the officer's hand while continuing to approach. The report states Hadel punched Brown in the face during that exchange.
"We cannot prove that it was unreasonable for the subject officer to believe that Mr. Brown posed an ongoing threat to his safety ... We cannot prove that the use of force demonstrated a reckless disregard for Mr. Brown's life," the attorney general's office said.
Insufficient evidence for involuntary manslaughter, AG says
In its findings, the Attorney General's Office wrote there was not enough evidence to overcome a claim of self-defense and that prosecutors could not prove the officer's conduct was reckless or more forceful than reasonably necessary given Brown's proximity and what investigators described as assaultive conduct.
The office noted that it did not find evidence the officer intended to kill Brown when he struck him twice. The decision follows the March public release of the body-worn camera footage by state investigators, which drew attention to the circumstances of the encounter.
Local implications and record of events
The case centers on a brief, tense interaction captured on camera and on competing legal standards: whether the officer's belief that he faced an ongoing threat was reasonable, and whether the officer's response rose to criminal culpability.
- Date of encounter: Feb. 16 (early morning)
- Location: Security Boulevard and Whitehead Court, Gwynn Oak
- Persons involved: Samuel Brown, 56; Officer Derek Hadel
- Evidence reviewed: Body-worn camera footage released in March
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Traffic/ welfare 911 call | Feb. 16 |
| Officer interaction and physical confrontation | Feb. 16 |
| Body-worn video released by state investigators | March |
| Attorney General report and decision | Thursday (report release) |
The attorney general's written determination focuses on the standards necessary for criminal prosecution. It emphasizes the legal burden to disprove a claim of self-defense and to show that force used by the officer was unreasonable or reckless in a way that would support manslaughter charges.
Community members and local leaders often look to state-level reviews in cases involving police use of force, because those reviews can influence public confidence in the criminal justice system and in local law enforcement accountability. The AG's decision means no criminal charges will be pursued against the officer in this case. Whether any administrative or departmental actions will follow from the incident and the AG's review was not addressed in the report released Thursday.
Further details about Brown's death and any related proceedings are drawn from the attorney general's office report and the body-worn camera footage made public by state investigators.
