Branded as the “Charles Village Rapist” 51-year-old Marlo Humbert was accused of being the serial rapist responsible for a series of violent attacks from June-November of 2008.
The lawsuit, which was filed in US District Court in 2011, alleged that three Baltimore police officers violated Humbert’s Fourth Amendment right against malicious persecution. His attorney, Charles H. Edwards IV, alleged that the officers had pressured one of the victims into identifying Humbert, even though she had told them she was not able to without hearing his voice and seeing him in a lineup. The complaint also alleged that police manipulated mug shots to help the victim identify him.
Edwards also stated that DNA evidence that would exonerate Humbert was obtained in June of 2008, yet charges were not dropped until July of the following year.
The $10 million lawsuit named former Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley as well as the arresting officers. A jury came back unanimous, and he was awarded $800,000 in compensatory damages and $1.5 million dollars in punitive damages.
"Everyone has been focused on police brutality," Edwards told the Baltimore Sun, explaining that questionable police work can be as damaging as brutality.
"This is not something you're going to catch on cameras. It brings attention to an aspect of Baltimore policing that goes unnoticed and is extremely hard to prove."
Edwards alleges that his client, accused of being a serial rapist, was afraid he would be killed in prison, which left him unable to sleep. He also stated that Humbert was subjected to verbal abuse and would often have fecal matter thrown at him.
Howard Libit, a spokesman for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, told the Baltimore Sun that they were surprised by the verdict and intend to fight it by filing post-trial motions, and perhaps an appeal.
