Man Convicted of Assaulting Pro-Life Advocates in Baltimore

A man was found guilty on Thursday of assaulting two pro-life advocates outside of Planned Parenthood Baltimore Health Center on May 26, 2023.

After two hours of jury deliberations, Patrick Brice, 28, was convicted of two counts of second-degree assault and reckless endangerment for attacking Richard Schaefer and Mark Crosby, who were ages 84 and 73 at the time, The Baltimore Banner reported.

During the trial, Brice, of West Baltimore, did not deny beating up the two men, but he argued he did not intend to seriously hurt them. Jurors acquitted Brice of one count of first-degree assault for Schaefer and could not reach a unanimous verdict on one count of first-degree assault for Crosby, according to the report.

Surveillance video released by police shows the entire encounter. The footage shows Brice approaching the men, who were praying on the sidewalk outside of the abortion clinic on North Howard Street. Brice and Schaefer appear to have words and then Brice seems like he is about to walk away before he turns around and tackles him into a flowerpot. The video shows Crosby run over to assist, before Brice tackles him, punching and kicking him in the face before finally leaving.

While Schaefer initially refused medical attention, he testified that he later went to an urgent care center when he noticed his head bleeding. He said he still has pain in one of his shoulders, according to the report.

"It seems like I was attacked on a city street not doing any harm to people," Schaefer testified.

Crosby spent three days at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center after the attack and had to return to the emergency twice later on. Crosby testified that he suffered an orbital fracture and experiences blurred vision, sensitivity to light in his right eye, foreign body sensation.

"I have to watch my back all the time," Crosby testified. "Always aware of who's around me."

It is unclear at present if prosecutors will retry Brice for the remaining count of first-degree assault, according to the report. James Bentley, a spokesperson for the Baltimore State's Attorney's Office, said in a statement that they are "reviewing the matter and will take whatever action we believe is warranted following that review and consultation with the victim."

"Assistant Public Defender Matthew Connell, Brice's attorney, said his client did not intend to cause serious physical injury, which is needed to support a conviction for first-degree assault," the report continues.

Brice is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20.