The Maryland Attorney General’s Office announced on Tuesday that it found insufficient evidence to reopen a criminal investigation into the 2006 death of Thomas Rawls.
Rawls died following restraint by officers from the Baltimore County Police Department on March 2, 2006. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performed an autopsy the following day and ruled the manner of death as undetermined, while the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office ultimately declined to pursue criminal charges.
Nearly two decades later, a state audit prompted independent medical examiners to re-examine the medical examiner’s findings. Those independent evaluators concluded that Rawls’ death should have been classified as a homicide.
The Maryland Office of the Attorney General has concluded its review of the 2006 death of Thomas Rawls, finding insufficient evidence to reopen the criminal investigation. This review is part of an audit concerning restraint-related deaths, which previously were not classified as… pic.twitter.com/pPVODkHqpY
Despite the later review, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not changed its original certification regarding the manner or cause of death. State prosecutors previously declined to file charges, and the recent review by the Attorney General’s Office concluded there is no basis to overturn that decision or launch a new criminal probe.
The Attorney General’s Office evaluated the complete investigative file from law enforcement authorities and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Investigators determined that the available information falls short of what is required to justify reopening the case or pursuing criminal prosecution.
At the request of counsel for Rawls’ family, the Attorney General’s Office withheld additional details from the investigative file from public release. However, authorities have offered the family direct access to the investigative materials.
The examination of Rawls’ case was conducted as part of an executive order requiring a comprehensive review of 41 restraint-related deaths that occurred across Maryland between 2003 and 2019. While independent medical examiners determined that these particular cases should have been classified as homicides, the original certifications issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner did not always reflect that determination.
The Attorney General’s Office agreed with the historic decision made by the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office to close the matter without charges. With the review of the investigative file now complete and no further legal avenues initiated by prosecutors, the state has concluded its current examination of the case.
