Last week, the Maryland State Board of Public Works approved a $55,000 settlement over a racial profiling case in which an African-American driver claimed two state troopers illegally searched him and his car. Venable partner Seth Rosenthal, who represented the driver, was interviewed by the Daily Record in a July 9, 2013 article on the decision.
Rosenthal said he hopes the settlement “will lead to further improvements” by the state police to avoid racial profiling. “The State Police have made progress, and Secretary [Marcus L.] Brown appears genuinely committed to rooting out the problem of racial profiling once and for all,” he added. “But as this case reveals … the agency’s formal message about the importance of constitutional policing and the deleterious impact that racial profiling has on the public’s trust still does not appear to be resonating with all troopers.”
Venable associate Joeann Walker assisted with the litigation.
Rosenthal said he hopes the settlement “will lead to further improvements” by the state police to avoid racial profiling. “The State Police have made progress, and Secretary [Marcus L.] Brown appears genuinely committed to rooting out the problem of racial profiling once and for all,” he added. “But as this case reveals … the agency’s formal message about the importance of constitutional policing and the deleterious impact that racial profiling has on the public’s trust still does not appear to be resonating with all troopers.”
Venable associate Joeann Walker assisted with the litigation.