Harford County Judge Orders Sheriff To Surrender Evidence: Report

BEL AIR, MD — Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh was reportedly granted a temporary restraining order against Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler.

Judge Yolanda Curtin was slated to hear the case of Frosh vs. Gahler in Harford County Circuit Court Thursday morning.

Frosh and Gahler were in dispute over who had primary authority over the investigation into a Whiteford man who died Saturday at the hands of deputies.

The Maryland attorney general's office was called to investigate the death in accordance with a state law passed in October 2021 mandating it handle all police-involved fatalities.

Frosh said his office was prevented from interviewing witnesses and watching footage related to the deadly shooting without a Harford County Sheriff's Office chaperone, according to WJZ.

The Maryland law says each agency "shall cooperate" with the state's independent investigations division.

Ruling in favor of Frosh, the judge said the law passed by the Maryland General Assembly was there to order "one-way cooperation," meaning the sheriff's office was to cooperate with the independent investigations unit, WJZ reported.

Within the next 24 hours, Gahler said he plans to turn over all evidence from case of man fatally shot — John Raymond Fauver, 53, of Whiteford — to the Office of the Attorney General.

The temporary restraining order is effective until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 29, according to WBAL, which reported Frosh expects to receive recordings and other evidence for the independent investigations division immediately.

See Also:

• 'Shameful': Harford County Sheriff On Attorney General's Lawsuit
• Attorney General Sues Harford Sheriff Over Deputy Shooting Probe
• Man Killed By Deputies Identified: Harford County Sheriff
• 2 Officers Named In Forest Hill Shooting: Harford County Sheriff
• Man Killed In Forest Hill Encounter With Deputies