As day three of testimony began in the trial against two Baltimore Police officers charged in a massive corruption scandal, one of their former partners took the stand.
Detectives Daniel Hersl and Marcus Taylor face federal charges, accused of robbery, extortion and time and attendance fraud as part of a unit within the Baltimore Police Department known as the Gun Trace Task Force.
Prosecutors called former Detective Evodio Hendrix as a witness. Hendrix is one of six GTTF members who pleaded guilty late last year. While on the stand, Hendrix was asked by prosecutors why he entered that guilty plea. He said it was because he robbed people, took money and took overtime.
Hendrix also talked about the hockey bags Sgt. Wayne Jenkins carried with him. According to Hendrix, one bag was loaded with heavy duty tools like crow bars, sledge hammers, a machete, and a grappling hook. The other bag contained dark clothes, masks and ski masks. Hendrix said those were for when the unit came across what Jenkins called a "Monster." Hendrix told the court it was a term used by Jenkins for big robbery targets with a lot of money or drugs.
When asked what he thought of the bags, Hendrix said he told Detective Maurice Ward that, "Sgt. Jenkins is crazy."
Earlier in the morning the Assistant U.S. Attorney told the judge the government may rest its case by the end of the week. The trial is expected to last another two or three weeks.
