Christopher Brown, a Black male, was 17 when he died after a late-night encounter in Randallstown, in Baltimore County, Maryland. It started when an off-duty Baltimore County police officer, James LaBoard, reported hearing a loud noise at his home and then seeing several people running away; a 911 call brought on-duty officers to the area around Susanna Avenue at about 10:30 p.m. As LaBoard chased the group across yards and between houses, the pursuit ended blocks away near the 4000 block of Starbrook Road, where he said he found Brown hiding in bushes.
According to police accounts reported at the time, LaBoard ordered Brown to come out; when he didn’t, LaBoard reached into the bushes and pulled him out, and a struggle followed. Witness accounts and reporting described Brown losing consciousness during the confrontation, with investigators later focusing on whether a chokehold or neck restraint was used. By the time other officers arrived, LaBoard was performing CPR, and paramedics rushed Brown to Northwest Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide caused by asphyxiation.
In the immediate aftermath, LaBoard was placed on administrative leave while detectives worked to interview others who had been in the area and to reconstruct the chase and fight. The case quickly became a flashpoint in the community, with a candlelight vigil at Randallstown High School where people remembered Brown as someone who greeted loved ones with hugs and kisses, even as his family and supporters pressed for answers and accountability.
The investigation ultimately led to criminal charges against LaBoard, and the case went to trial on manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors argued that LaBoard used unreasonable, dangerous force—described in court as a carotid or sleeper hold—while the defense maintained the death was accidental and pointed to alternative explanations for the injuries, including compression during the struggle. Medical testimony described internal injuries consistent with pressure to the neck, while the defense presented an expert who disputed that conclusion.
On June 20, 2013, a Baltimore County jury deliberated for about three hours before finding LaBoard not guilty on all charges. After the verdict, the department said he would return to paid status immediately, remain suspended while the agency reviewed the case internally, and be assigned administrative duties. Brown’s family reacted with grief, emphasizing that no courtroom outcome could change the loss, while reporting also noted the intent to pursue civil action connected to the death.
