The Baltimore Police Department is to drop three of six charges that were filed against Sgt. Robert Smith - a former supervisor of a specialized unit that was disbanded after allegations that a woman was raped in the station house in 2005, according to a letter from the city sent to the officer's attorney.
Smith was charged with violations stemming from the alleged rape - including a sex offense - even though he was on vacation and far away from the station house when the alleged rape occurred.
Three police officers were indicted in the rape. One, Jemini Jones, was acquitted and prosecutors dropped the charges against the other two.
In the letter, a Police Department lawyer said the charges would be dropped before Smith's internal disciplinary hearing scheduled for August.
Smith is still charged with confiscating contraband from people arrested and failing to properly submit items into evidence. Clarke Ahlers, his attorney, said there is no merit to the remaining charges and all should be dropped. "Justice demands that it be done now, not five months for now," he said.
In a letter to the Police Department Ahlers wrote: "I respectfully request that you immediately dismiss the false accusation previously made against Sgt. Smith by the Baltimore City Police Department or stand ready to defend the City's misconduct in the venue of public opinion, media and if necessary, the courts."
Sterling Clifford, a police spokesman, said of Ahlers' comments: "He is advocating for his client, that is his job."
annie.linskey@baltsun.com
