The jury rendered its verdicts Friday in the trial of two county officers accused of beating a university student during the 2010 Duke riot, convincting one officer of second-degree assault and acquitting the other of all charges.
The verdict concluded the five-day trial against Prince George’s County officers James Harrison and Reginald Baker in Upper Marlboro. Jurors found Harrison not guilty of misconduct in office but convicted him of second-degree assault, The Washington Post reported. Harrison, who is out on bond, is set to be sentenced Dec. 14 and could face up to 10 years in prison, according to The Post.
Baker was acquitted of all charges. Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks told The Post jurors may have drawn a distinction between the two officers because it was legal to drive former university student John McKenna to the ground, as Baker did using his riot shield the night of March 3, 2010.
Originally, the two officers faced first-degree assault charges, along with second-degree assault and misconduct in office, in connection with their involvement in the March 2010 riot following a men’s basketball upset of then-No. 4 Duke.
The county had previously agreed to settle civil suits by paying McKenna $2 million and nine others involved in the postgame riot a total of $1.6 million, The Post reported. The other settlement recipients alleged police falsely arrested and physically assaulted them during the riot.
McKenna’s attorney, Christopher Griffiths, argued the payments suggest other county police aside from Harrison and Baker were engaged in misconduct.
“That’s an aspect of this case that the jury didn’t hear,” Griffiths said to The Post.
