MTA Officer Aaron Sewell Indictment
MTA Officer Aaron Sewell Indictment
MTA Officer Aaron Sewell Indictment
Aaron Sewell
Defendant:
INDICTMENT
The Grand Jury of the State of Maryland for the body of the City of Baltimore, do on their
oath present that the aforesaid DEFENDANT, late of said City, heretofore on or about June 20,
2020, in the area of 4300 Hayward Ave., in Baltimore City, State of Maryland, did commit the
crimes of Assault in the 2nd degree and Misconduct in Office.
MANNER AND MEANS
Among the manner and means by which the defendant conducted and participated in the
crimes of Assault in the 2nd degree and Misconduct in Office are as follows:
1. On June 20, 2020, Officer Aaron Sewell (Hereinafter “Sewell”) was on duty, in
uniform, and working as a sworn law enforcement officer for the Maryland Transit Administration
Police (hereinafter “MTA Police”).
2. That on June 20, 2020, at approximately 11:15pm, Sewell was on uniformed patrol
at the Rogers Avenue Metro Station located at or near 4300 Hayward Ave, in Baltimore, MD.
3. That Sewell encountered Mr. Kaiya Parker (hereinafter “Parker), who was waiting
on the train platform.
4. Parker was not wearing a shirt. Parker was instructed by Sewell that he was required
to wear one in order to ride the train. Sewell then prevented Parker from proceeding forward into
the train platform waiting area by placing his body in the path of Parker.
5. When the incident occurred, there was no train at the platform. Parker was not
attempting to board a train. Parker did not disrupt any passengers from boarding or exiting a train.
6. Sewell placed his hands on Parker’s chest as Parker tried to enter the platform area.
Parker swatted Sewell’s hands away.
7. Sewell reacted to his hand being swatted away by punching Parker’s face several
times, picking him up and slamming him to the ground.
8. At no time did Parker strike back at Sewell while Sewell was punching Parker.
Parker grabbed a trash can to stabilize himself from Sewell’s attack.
9. According to the Maryland Transit Administration Police Force Standard
Operating Procedures, Article II, 3.14 Use of Force:
3.14.1 Every member of the Police Force must refrain from using
unnecessary force or violence, and shall not strike a prisoner or any
other person, except in self-defense. However, they must be firm
and resolute, and if they are resisted they may repel force with force,
using only such force as necessary to effect and maintain the arrest.
3.14.2 THE DEGREE OF FORCE USED IN A CONFRONTATION
MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH BOTH THE SEVERITY OF THE
INCIDENT AND THE URGENCY OF ITS DISPOSITION.
3.14.3 Members of the MTA Police Force shall, in every instance, use only
the minimum of force needed to accomplish their mission, and shall
exhaust every other reasonable means of apprehension or defense
before resorting to the use of weapons.
10. That Sewell did use an unnecessary amount of force or violence. That the amount
of force used was unreasonable in light of the severity of the incident and urgency of its disposition.
That Sewell’s actions were inconsistent with the MTA Use of Force policy.
11. That Sewell was a sworn police officer, acting under color of his office. The assault
was not accidental, consented to, nor legally justified.
12. All paragraphs herein are reincorporated and reaffirmed as to the following counts:
COUNT 1
The Grand Jury of the State of Maryland for the body of the City of Baltimore, do on their
oath present that the aforesaid DEFENDANT, late of said City, heretofore on or about June 20,
2020, in the area of 4300 Hayward Ave., in Baltimore City, State of Maryland, did assault Kaiya
Parker in the second degree, in violation of Criminal Law Article, Section 3-203 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland; against the peace, government and dignity of the State.
Assault 2nd Degree, CR 3-203, 1-1415.
COUNT 2
The Jurors of the State of Maryland for the body of the City of Baltimore, do further present
that the aforesaid DEFENDANT, late of said City, heretofore on or about June 20, 2020, in the
area of 4300 Hayward Ave., in Baltimore City, State of Maryland, did willfully commit
Misconduct in Office in the performance of his official duties, in violation of the common law;
against the peace, government and dignity of the State.
Misconduct in Office [Common Law] 9X 0042.
________________________________________
Marilyn J. Mosby
The State’s Attorney for the City of Baltimore