Internal investigation of Annapolis police interviews posted on social media 

Annapolis police have completed an internal investigation into the source of videos shared on social media in October 2020 showing two people being questioned by detectives in regards to a 2017 murder case.

Annapolis Police Chief Ed Jackson confirmed on Tuesday that internal affairs investigators were unable to ascertain how the videos were uploaded to Facebook and Instagram or by whom, but the investigation did confirm no one from the department accessed the videos or sent them outside of the agency.

“There’s no evidence to suggest we leaked it out. In fact, we know we didn’t leak it out,” Jackson said. “I have no reason to believe that there was any misconduct on behalf of anybody in APD.”

The videos, which were poor quality and hard to hear, circulated on social media in October 2020. The exposure created concern about the safety of the people revealed in the videos and risked eroding relationships with Annapolis residents who already have trust issues with the department. The videos show police questioning two people in interview rooms at the Annapolis Police Department on Taylor Avenue. 

The two men are asked about the homicides of George Forrester, a 40-year-old Severn man killed on Newtowne Drive in January 2017 and Charles Carroll Jr., a 25-year-old Baltimore man killed in the Bywater Mutual Homes community in July 2016.

Annapolis police did not announce when the internal investigation closed or disclose any details about how it was conducted. Jackson asked the FBI to review the department’s investigation to ensure it was done properly.

The Annapolis Police Department denied a Maryland Public Information Act request for a summary report of the completed investigation in August and December, stating the records are exempt from disclosure and its release is contrary to the public interest because it “would jeopardize the safety of witnesses and/or increase the possibility of witness intimidation.”