Overview

• An independent audit of 87 in-custody deaths under Dr. David Fowler’s tenure revealed 36 cases misclassified as non-homicides, with racial and pro-police bias identified as systemic issues.
• The audit found that nearly half of the disputed cases cited 'excited delirium,' a discredited diagnosis, as a cause of death to justify non-homicide rulings.
• Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order directing the Maryland Attorney General to review and potentially reopen the misclassified cases for further investigation.
• The findings stem from concerns raised after Fowler’s controversial testimony in the 2021 Derek Chauvin trial, which led to over 400 medical experts demanding an independent review.
• The audit’s recommendations include eliminating 'excited delirium' as a diagnosis, standardizing protocols for restraint-related deaths, and creating a state task force on police-custody investigations.