[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/representing-family-died-baltimore-police-custody\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/representing-family-died-baltimore-police-custody\/","headline":"Greenberg Law Offices Representing Family of Man Who Died in Baltimore Police Custody","name":"Greenberg Law Offices Representing Family of Man Who Died in Baltimore Police Custody","description":"Greenberg Law Offices stands firmly with the family of Dontae Melton, Jr., a young man whose life ended tragically while in Baltimore police custody last June. Our team will represent Mr. Melton\u2019s family as they look to hold Baltimore City Police responsible for what they described to Attorney Larry Greenberg as a \u201cneedless death.\u201d What […]","datePublished":"2025-11-25","dateModified":"2025-11-25","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/author\/greenberglawoffices\/#Person","name":"Greenberg Law Offices","url":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/author\/greenberglawoffices\/","identifier":7,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e0d600bf0d0a422eeda2a75c9d4b0240b93a50067ae011d1484f7dfed7467653?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e0d600bf0d0a422eeda2a75c9d4b0240b93a50067ae011d1484f7dfed7467653?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Greenberg Law Offices","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/greenberg-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/greenberg-logo.png","width":301,"height":94}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Greenberg-Law-Offices-Representing-Family-of-Man-Who-Died-in-Baltimore-Police-Custody.jpg","url":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Greenberg-Law-Offices-Representing-Family-of-Man-Who-Died-in-Baltimore-Police-Custody.jpg","height":233,"width":814},"url":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/representing-family-died-baltimore-police-custody\/","video":[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KgEAq2qlIc0#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KgEAq2qlIc0","name":"Press Conference: Family of Dontae Melton, Jr. responds to homicide ruling","description":"The family of Dontae Melton, Jr., alongside Greenberg Law Offices, holds a press conference following the Medical Examiner\u2019s ruling that Dontae\u2019s death was a homicide. They will discuss the case, their calls for accountability, and next steps","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/KgEAq2qlIc0\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/KgEAq2qlIc0\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/KgEAq2qlIc0\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/KgEAq2qlIc0\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/KgEAq2qlIc0\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2025-09-03T05:51:36+00:00","duration":"PT25M25S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KgEAq2qlIc0","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC-H-L8u8PzzgdAzBLrqU6PQ#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC-H-L8u8PzzgdAzBLrqU6PQ","name":"WBFF FOX45 Baltimore","description":"News and entertainment video from WBFF, the FOX affiliate in Baltimore and occasionally from our sister station WNUV, The CW Baltimore.\n\nhttp:\/\/www.Facebook.com\/FOXbaltimore\n\nhttp:\/\/www.Facebook.com\/CWbaltimore","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/ytc\/AIdro_nCPX3rFomn66aLXcVZlrQXUNfYuPmHJSa2ipUPB-CZjPU=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KgEAq2qlIc0#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KgEAq2qlIc0#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KgEAq2qlIc0&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KgEAq2qlIc0#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":574}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KgEAq2qlIc0#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":7}]},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=sBy3a3ePPcs#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=sBy3a3ePPcs","name":"Baltimore family plans to file lawsuit over man's in-police custody death","description":"Baltimore family plans to file lawsuit over man's in-police custody death","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/sBy3a3ePPcs\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/sBy3a3ePPcs\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/sBy3a3ePPcs\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/sBy3a3ePPcs\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/sBy3a3ePPcs\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2025-09-03T01:28:43+00:00","duration":"PT3M","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sBy3a3ePPcs","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UClYiny8IhDsIk5SivucNl7g#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UClYiny8IhDsIk5SivucNl7g","name":"WJZ","description":"Welcome to the official CBS Baltimore YouTube channel!  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Our team will represent Mr. Melton\u2019s family as they look to hold Baltimore City Police responsible for what they described to Attorney Larry Greenberg as a \u201cneedless death.\u201dWhat Happened to Dontae Melton, Jr.?On the night of June 24, 2025, 31-year-old Dontae Melton, Jr., approached Police Officer Gerard Pettiford, who was stopped at a red light at the intersection of West Franklin Street and North Franklintown Road. Melton claimed he was being chased and begged the officer for help.Officer Pettiford and other officers gathered that Mr. Melton was experiencing a mental health crisis and radioed in for emergency services. However, the city’s dispatch system was down, so EMS never arrived. After nearly an hour waiting for emergency services, the officers would ultimately drive Melton to a hospital themselves, where he would die a few hours later.What the Body Camera Footage RevealedBody camera footage of the night Mr. Melton lost his life revealed the moment Mr. Melton approached Officer Pettiford at a red light around 9:40 p.m. Mr. Melton is clearly in distress, asking the officer for a ride to his house and claiming that someone is chasing him.The officer then attempts to restrain Mr. Melton, which authorities later claimed was \u201cfor his own safety.\u201d After several other officers arrive and place Mr. Melton in handcuffs and leg restraints, they call for a medic.While waiting for EMS, Mr. Melton begins screaming that he can’t breathe. Officers note that his pulse is significantly elevated. At some point, Mr. Melton becomes unresponsive, after which the officers pour water on him. After waiting nearly an hour for medics to arrive, officers took Mr. Melton to Grace Medical Center in their car.Upon reviewing the body camera footage, Attorney Larry Greenberg noticed a 30-minute gap between the officers leaving for and arriving at the hospital, which was five minutes away.The Homicide RulingThe exact medical cause of Dontae Melton, Jr.\u2019s death has not been revealed. However, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Mr. Melton\u2019s death a homicide. This medical determination means that someone caused the death, but not necessarily that they committed a crime in doing so. Regardless, the Dontae Melton, Jr., homicide ruling is a shocking one, and it strongly suggests negligence on the part of the responding officers.Is Dontae Melton, Jr.\u2019s Family Suing the Baltimore Police?The family of Dontae Melton, Jr., is planning on filing a lawsuit against Baltimore City for Mr. Melton\u2019s death, which they believe was the result of several instances of law enforcement failing to take the necessary action to protect a citizen suffering a clear mental health crisis. Greenberg Law Offices will proudly represent Mr. Melton\u2019s family as they seek justice on Dontae\u2019s behalf.When Can Police Be Held Responsible for Personal Injury and Wrongful Death?Police officers have a duty to protect individuals in their custody. When officers act recklessly, fail to intervene during medical emergencies, breach protocol, or intentionally violate a person\u2019s rights, they may be held liable for any harm that person endures as a result.Some examples of when police might bear responsibility for injury or wrongful death include:Excessive use of forceHigh-speed pursuit accidentsNegligent handling of suspectsFailure to provide medical careActs outside lawful dutiesViolation of legal dutyReports and body cam footage of Mr. Melton\u2019s encounter with Baltimore City Police suggest more than one of the above violations. Our team will work with experts to investigate alleged violations of these duties in Mr. Melton\u2019s case and seek to hold the appropriate parties accountable.What Makes Cases Like the Dontae Melton, Jr. Lawsuit Uniquely Complicated?Civil courts allow families to pursue claims for personal injury and wrongful death when negligence or misconduct contributes to preventable deaths. However, cases against police officers and their departments can be complicated and challenging to pursue for the following reasons:Qualified Immunity \u2013 Many officers and municipalities can claim legal protections that shield them from certain lawsuits. Qualified immunity often requires showing that the officer violated a \u201cclearly established\u201d law, which makes proving liability difficult.High Evidentiary Burden \u2013 Our attorneys must prove that the officer’s actions or omissions directly caused the death. These cases require even more substantial evidence than the average wrongful death claim, including detailed medical records, autopsy reports, dispatch and 911 records, and expert testimony.Access to Evidence \u2013 Police departments control crucial evidence such as body-camera footage and internal reports. Our attorneys must fight delays and restrictions to recover this evidence and build a compelling case.Public Scrutiny and Media Attention \u2013 High-profile cases draw intense media coverage, influencing public perception and sometimes affecting settlement negotiations or trial strategy.Although cases like the Dontae Melton, Jr., lawsuit present these unique challenges, these are the kinds of cases the team at Greenberg Law Offices is proudest to take on. Nobody is above the law, including police departments, and we are dedicated to holding those whose negligence results in preventable death accountable for their actions.Our Experience as Baltimore Police Brutality AttorneysAt Greenberg Law Offices, we have extensive experience in protecting the rights of Baltimore residents when they suffer from police brutality or misconduct. We help police brutality victims and their families by:Conducting thorough investigations to uncover every fact surrounding custody injuries and deathsCollaborating with medical professionals, crisis response experts, use-of-force specialists, and legal analysts to establish liabilityPursuing aggressive legal strategies to hold officers and departments accountableProviding compassionate guidance to families as they face complicated legal processes during difficult emotional timesContact Our Firm for More InformationIf you or a loved one has suffered harm due to police negligence or misconduct, Greenberg Law Offices can help. Our team offers not only tenacious representation, but compassion and critical support as you seek the justice you and your family deserve. Contact us today for your free consultation.News Reports About Dontae Melton, Jr.:https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/baltimore\/news\/dontae-melton-jr-in-custody-death-baltimore-policehttps:\/\/www.thebanner.com\/community\/local-news\/dontae-melton-jr-death-homicide-family-lawsuit-3RRXCVOE2JEN7NNLSKYNSG3L3Y\/https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KgEAq2qlIc0https:\/\/afro.com\/dontae-melton-jr-homicide-baltimore\/https:\/\/www.ems1.com\/legal\/its-just-too-long-police-officers-highlight-ambulance-delay-in-baltimore-in-custody-death-lawsuithttps:\/\/www.wbaltv.com\/article\/family-dontae-melton-jr-sue-baltimore-city-police-death\/65962825https:\/\/www.foplodge4.org\/blog\/medical-examiner-rules-baltimore-police-custody-death-a-homicide\/https:\/\/thedailyrecord.com\/2025\/09\/02\/baltimore-police-lawsuit-dontae-melton-death\/https:\/\/baltimorebeat.com\/dontae-meltons-police-custody-death-ruled-a-homicide-as-body-camera-footage-reveals-numerous-failures-in-citys-crisis-response-system\/https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/2025\/09\/05\/911-baltimore-melton-police-died\/https:\/\/www.wmar2news.com\/infocus\/family-seeks-answers-justice-after-needless-in-custody-deathhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=sBy3a3ePPcshttps:\/\/baltimorebeat.com\/mother-of-dontae-melton-jr-questions-large-police-response-as-names-of-10-officers-involved-in-his-death-are-released\/https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DN6BKf2jlSc\/"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Greenberg Law Offices Representing Family of Man Who Died in Baltimore Police Custody","item":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/representing-family-died-baltimore-police-custody\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]