Man who assaulted pro-life sidewalk counselors will be retried

A man who physically assaulted two pro-life sidewalk counselors in 2023 was convicted on several charges but will be retried on a first-degree felony assault charge after a jury failed to reach a verdict.

Patrick Brice, 28, was convicted on two counts of second-degree assault and two counts of reckless endangerment for his attack on Mark Crosby, 84 at the time, and Richard Schaefer, 73 at the time, outside Planned Parenthood in Baltimore, Maryland. According to The Daily Wire, Brice was acquitted of one count of first-degree assault for the attack on Schaefer but avoided a first-degree assault charge due to a hung jury. If convicted during the retrial, Brice could face a 25-year prison sentence for that charge.

Crosby told The Daily Wire that he is willing to return to court to testify during the retrial.

“I think they’re hoping I get hit by a bus. They want me to go away,” Crosby told The Baltimore Banner. “I’m not going away.”

READ: Study: Pro-life movement faced 22 times as many violent attacks as abortion groups in 2022

Brice is now free on his own recognizance, and his sentencing for the four previous charges has been postponed until August 7.

Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates explained to The Baltimore Banner, “While we understand the victim’s frustrations, we have made every effort to ensure they fully understand the process and have access to the necessary support. As this is an open and ongoing matter, we will continue to provide this support throughout the case resolution process.”

The attack was caught on camera and showed Brice approaching Schaefer and tackling him after a brief discussion. Crosby ran to defend Schaefer and Brice pushed Crosby to the ground, punched him in the face, and kicked him in the head. Crosby spent three days at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center and went to the emergency room twice due to his injuries. He suffered an orbital fracture and has problems with the vision in his right eye as a result of the assault.

“He should be in jail right now,” Crosby said. “It’s just truly amazing: I feel like I’m the criminal.”