BALTIMORE (WBFF) — The family attorney for Dontae Melton Jr. announced that the Maryland Office of the Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division (IID) has declined to file criminal charges against the Baltimore police officers involved in the in-custody death of Melton back in June.
The incident occurred on June 24, 2025, when 31-year-old Melton died while experiencing a mental health crisis in the custody of Baltimore Police officers.
The IID began its investigation two days after the incident and later released over six hours of body-worn camera footage that depicted the events when Melton died.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Melton approached a Baltimore police officer while experiencing a mental health crisis, walking into the roadway and prompting the officer to attempt to restrain him for his safety. Additional officers arrived, and Melton was placed in handcuffs and leg restraints.
While waiting for medical assistance, officers noticed he had become unresponsive. Since medics had not arrived by 10:30 p.m., the officers transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead about six hours later, the AG’s Office reported.
On August 28, 2025, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) of Maryland ruled the police in-custody death of a Baltimore man a homicide.
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Larry Greenberg from the Greenberg Law Offices, which represents the family of Melton, released the following statement:
“This case highlights exactly why the public has lost faith in the system. The family deserves a thorough accounting and meaningful reforms, not a declination that insulates institutions from responsibility. Mr. Melton should not have died. He was raised to trust the police, and when he was in crisis, they should have protected him. Instead, he deteriorated in their custody until it was too late. This needless loss of life must not be forgotten.”
Melton’s family also left a statement stating the following:
“Today’s decision is not justice,” said Eleshiea Goode, speaking on behalf of the family. “The State reviewed an incident where a young man in crisis was restrained, became unresponsive, and waited nearly forty minutes without an ambulance. Declaring that no crime occurred defies common sense and basic human decency.”
We reached out to the AG’s Office for a comment, but have not yet heard back at this time.
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