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City Leaders Praise Officers Who Testified In Cagle Case

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—City leaders are speaking out days after a Baltimore Police officer was found guilty of assault in the shooting of an unarmed man.

In December of 2014, officers responded to a burglary in east Baltimore when the suspect--Michael Johansen--came out of the building.

Last year, Johansen described what happened saying, "I told them, 'I give up, I'm unarmed. I have no weapons. I'm by myself.'"

Johansen was already on the ground when Officer Wesley Cagle shot him, authorities say.

Officer Wesley Cagle
Officer Wesley Cagle

Last week, a jury found Cagle guilty of an assault charge and a firearms charge.

"What's right is right. And what's wrong is wrong. And what he did was wrong," said City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

Today, Mosby joined Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis during a joint press conference.

They praised the two officers who testified against Cagle which helped secure a conviction.

"The vast majority of police officers in this city are good officers," said Mosby. "And I'm gratified that in this case, the good officers testified against the bad officer."

"Reporting misconduct is now absolutely required by our use of force policy. It's something our community has a right to expect from all police officers in Baltimore," said Commissioner Davis.

Attorney Billy Murphy--who represents the family of Freddie Gray—also spoke after the press conference.

"We have to encourage and protect these two officers and other like-minded officers to come forward when they witness bad cops doing a bad thing."

Cagle is the first city police officer to be charged in an on-duty shooting since 2008.

The maximum sentence for the assault charge is 25 years and there's a five-year mandatory sentence for the firearms charge.

Cagle was acquitted of the more serious charges against him--attempted first and second-degree murder.

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