FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Finds Insufficient Evidence to Reopen Criminal Investigation
BALTIMORE, MD — The Office of the Attorney General has completed its review of the investigative file from the death of Mary Croker in 2010 and found insufficient information to warrant opening the matter for further investigation. Ms. Croker, a 41-year-old white woman, died shortly after being restrained by officers from the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) on July 16, 2010.
This review was completed pursuant to an executive order requiring a review of 41 restraint-related deaths occurring between 2003 and 2019 that independent medical examiners determined should have been classified as homicides. Prior to this audit by independent medical examiners, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) had not classified these cases as homicides. Since the release of the audit’s findings in 2025, the OCME has not changed the manner or cause of death certification in any of the 41 cases.
According to the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), the classification of the manner of the death is not a legal conclusion. A death is classified as a homicide when it results from a volitional act committed by another person. The classification does not by itself establish criminal intent or criminal culpability, which are determinations made through the legal process.
A team of experienced prosecutors and investigators from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is now conducting a comprehensive review of the 41 cases from the audit. For this inquiry, prosecutors and investigators requested investigative material from State’s Attorney’s Offices, police departments, family members of the decedents, and attorneys representing the families. Today, the OAG announced that it has completed its review of the files from Mary Croker’s death. This review considered files from state law enforcement authorities and the OCME.
The following information was obtained from the investigative file from the State’s Attorney’s Office for Baltimore County. On July 16, 2010, BCPD received a call for a female stealing property from a vehicle in the area of Eastern Avenue and Hawthorn Road. A BCPD police officer arrived on the scene and approached Ms. Croker. When the officer attempted to question Ms. Croker, she walked away. The officer asked Ms. Croker to sit down. When she did not comply, the officer grabbed Ms. Croker by the arm. Civilian and officer witnesses reported that Ms. Croker struck the officer. Both the officer and Ms. Croker ended up on the ground and a struggle ensued. Civilian and officer witnesses reported that Ms. Croker continued to strike the officer as he attempted to detain her. These witnesses reported that Ms. Croker tried to stab the officer with a pen and reached for his handgun. Two civilians assisted the officer by holding Ms. Croker’s legs until backup officers arrived. The backup officers assisted in handcuffing Ms. Croker. Officers picked Ms. Croker up from the ground, but she continued to resist arrest. The officers placed Ms. Croker on her stomach on the ground. Ms. Croker stopped breathing. CPR was performed by the officers until emergency medical services arrived on the scene. Ms. Croker was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.
On July 17, 2010, the OCME performed an autopsy on Ms. Croker. The medical examiner ruled that the manner of death was “Undetermined.” In September of 2010, the State’s Attorney’s Office for Baltimore County declined to pursue criminal charges arising out of the death of Ms. Croker. Approximately fifteen years later, pursuant to a state audit, independent medical examiners reviewed the findings of the OCME and determined that the manner of death for Ms. Croker should have been “Homicide.” As of this date, the OCME has not changed the original certification as to the manner of death or cause of death for Ms. Croker.
Against this backdrop, the Office of the Attorney General reviewed the investigative file for Ms. Croker to see whether the evidence warranted further action by state authorities. This review found insufficient evidence to prove criminal culpability beyond a reasonable doubt. The Office of the Attorney General accordingly concurs with the decision made by the Baltimore County State’s Attorney Office in 2010.
Upon completing its review of the available investigatory materials, the Office of the Attorney General found that there is insufficient evidence to reopen the matter of Mary Croker for further investigation or for criminal prosecution. The Office of the Attorney General will provide the decedent’s family with an opportunity to review materials in the investigative file.
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