By AFRO Staff
Keith Davis Jr. is finally a free man.
Today, newly sworn-in Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates announced that he has dismissed all pending charges against Keith Davis Jr.
Davis was shot by police in a West Baltimore garage in June 2015 after being chased by officers who accused him of a murder.
Since that time, Davis has been tried multiple times. He was acquitted of all murder charges in his first trial, according to information released by KeithDavisJr.com, a website by the policing reform organization, Campaign Zero. A second trial in 2017 led to a mistrial. But Davis’ ordeal was far from over.
Even after being acquitted and having a mistrial, Davis was prosecuted three more times, with two trials being overturned and another mistrial.
“We are extremely grateful that Mr. Davis is finally free and reunited with his family,” said a statement from Deborah Katz Levi, director of special litigation in OPD’s Baltimore City office and counsel for Mr. Davis. “After four trials for a crime he did not commit, all guilty verdicts were overturned for police, prosecutor, and even court error. We are grateful that the State’s Attorney’s Office understood that this case was replete with so many past mistakes and evidentiary issues, which all amounted to a denial of Mr. Davis’s right to Due Process and a loss of confidence in the criminal justice system. We are thankful to everyone who stood behind and championed Mr. Davis along the way, and we look forward to continuing our mission to fight for those who suffer from a lack of fairness, justice and due process in this system of criminal justice.”
Maryland Public Defender Natasha Dartigue made a statement on Davis’ release.
“The repeated prosecutions and lengthy pretrial incarceration that Mr. Davis has endured over the past seven and a half years are counter to any concept of justice,” said Dartigue. “While we commend the State’s Attorney for making the right decision, it is the continuing commitment, undeniable skill, and steadfast belief in justice for the client by dedicated public defenders which led us here.”
The AFRO has previously covered the Keith Davis trials with more coverage of his release coming soon.
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