In the late summer evening of August 21, 2015, the life of 30-year-old Charles Samuel Hall of North East, Maryland, came to a sudden and violent end in the parking lot of a local Walmart. The events that unfolded that night were the result of a chance encounter with a Maryland State Trooper who recognized Hall as being wanted on an outstanding warrant.
This recognition set in motion a chain of events that would leave one man dead and a community seeking answers.
Trooper Daryl Brackett, a three-year veteran of the state police, was on patrol when he spotted Charles Samuel Hall in the bustling parking lot of the Northeast Plaza Shopping Center. Aware of a theft warrant for Hall's arrest, the trooper approached him. What began as an attempt to serve a warrant quickly escalated into a physical struggle. As the two men grappled, Hall managed to get into his vehicle. The altercation continued, with Trooper Brackett caught in the driver's side door area as Hall started the car and began to accelerate. It was in this chaotic moment that the trooper discharged his service weapon, fatally wounding Hall.
The investigation that followed was a collaborative effort between the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit and the Cecil County State's Attorney's Office. The findings of this investigation, which included witness interviews and a review of the evidence, ultimately led prosecutors to deem the shooting as justified. The State's Attorney's office concluded that Trooper Brackett had reason to believe he was in danger of serious injury or death as Hall attempted to flee in his vehicle with the trooper still partially inside. Consequently, no charges were filed against Trooper Brackett, and he was not arrested. The case was officially closed without any suspects being sought in connection with the death of Charles Samuel Hall.
