The jury in the corruption trial of former Baltimore Police Department gun trace task force officers, Daniel Hersl and Marcus Taylor, have found the two guilty on most charges.
After just two days of deliberation, the jury found Taylor guilty of conspiracy, three acts of racketeering, federal robbery charge but not guilty on the firearm charge.
They also found Hersl guilty on racketeering conspiracy, four separate racketeering acts, federal robbery count but he was also found not guilty on the firearm charge.
Both Taylor and Hersl were found guilty on various counts of wire fraud which has to do with overtime fraud.
After the verdict, Baltimore City officials shared their thoughts on the case and the final verdict made by jurors.
Baltimore Police released a statement:
Statement on the GTTF guilty verdict from @BaltimorePolice Commissioner-Designate Darryl De Sousa: pic.twitter.com/jxCs5tWKIo
— T.J. Smith (@TJSmithMedia) February 12, 2018
Mayor Catherine Pugh also releases a statement expressing how with a large amount of evidence given in the case against the two former detectives, the guilty verdict that was given by the jury, was the right one.
"I want all of our citizens to know that I have likewise been appalled by the level of dishonesty and betrayal that these individuals and others also implicated, perpetrated here in our community. There is no more important element to effective policing than trust between the men and women of our police force and those they have sworn to protect and serve. The shocking issues revealed in hours of testimony are precisely the reason we forged ahead with the Department of Justice Consent Decree this past year. They are why we have instituted our daily Violence Reduction Initiative meetings at police headquarters. They are also why we have launched our Call to Action community meetings. They are why we have accelerated our efforts to reduce violence in our city and why I have appointed new leadership at Police Headquarters. Each of these initiatives represent our commitment to changing the culture and practices of our police force, creating the necessary dialogue and collaboration between citizens, community leaders and officers, and making clear that honor, integrity, empathy and service are the non-negotiables of any person granted the privilege of wearing a police uniform and badge on the streets of Baltimore. I am confident that this sordid chapter of policing culture can be closed as we work each and every day to re-establish the trust and confidence that our citizens need and deserve to have in their police officers. Toward this end, we will be relentless.”
State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby shared how the facts stated in the trial brought concerns that she felt during the dismissal of the Freddie Gray cases. Mosby also shared how she hopes to work with federal, state and local partners in strengthening the system and making Baltimore better.
"Baltimore is in need of significant reforms within our criminal justice system and we must collectively strengthen our efforts to regain public trust. Police corruption is a hindrance to public safety, degrades trust in the criminal justice system, and puts the lives of hard-working and dedicated officers at risk. Therefore, we must continue to drive out corruption and shine a light on callous criminals that dishonorably wear a badge."
