Arrested, Convicted, Sent to Prison: Was This Police Officer Treated Fairly?

 

West  Palm Beach, Fl - Her case remains one of the most controversial in modern American law enforcement history. It raises profound questions about police accountability, the use of force, federal prosecution of officers, and the boundaries of justice in high-profile cases.

In a special episode of the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, available on their website and platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and most major podcast platforms.. Stephanie Mohr shared her side of the story. As she reflected, “This was never just about one incident. It became about making an example of me.”

A Routine Call Turns Controversial

The incident occurred on September 21, 1995, in Takoma Park, Maryland, amid a series of burglaries. Mohr, a relatively new K9 handler with the Prince George’s County Police Department and the department's first female canine officer, responded to a suspected break-in at a printing shop.

Officers discovered two suspects on the roof. The men climbed down as instructed. Accounts differ sharply here: Mohr and supporters maintain one suspect attempted to flee, justifying the deployment of her police dog. Prosecutors argued the suspects had surrendered peacefully, with hands raised, and posed no threat.

Mohr released her dog, which bit one of the men, an illegal immigrant and homeless individual, on the leg, requiring about 10 stitches.

At the time, the department conducted no internal investigation, and no complaints were filed. Mohr later stated, “I did what I was trained to do. I never imagined it would cost me my career and a decade of my life.”

From Officer to Federal Defendant

Years later, in 2001, amid a broader Department of Justice probe into alleged brutality in the Prince George’s County Police Department, federal charges were brought against Mohr for violating his civil rights under color of law.

Her first trial ended in acquittal on conspiracy charges but a hung jury on the main count. Prosecutors retried the case, introducing evidence of prior incidents involving Mohr's dog bites and testimony suggesting racial motivations. One witness recalled Mohr using racially charged language in an unrelated encounter.
Mohr and her supporters vehemently denied these claims, arguing the narrative was fabricated to secure a conviction. 

She questioned the prosecution's zeal: “Who does that? It felt like they were determined to secure a conviction at any cost.” 

Critics, including former prosecutors, countered that the release was a “willful and deliberate act of police brutality,” not a split-second decision.

A jury convicted Mohr in the second trial. She received a 10-year sentence, one of the harshest for such a case, and served the full term, released in 2011. Her training officer was acquitted.

A Long Fight for Vindication

The Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF) took up Mohr's cause, viewing it as setting a dangerous precedent for officers nationwide. After nearly two decades of appeals, the effort culminated in December 2020 when President Donald J. Trump granted Mohr a full and unconditional pardon—the first for an officer supported by the LELDF.

Mohr emphasized the pardon transcended politics: “For me, the pardon wasn’t about politics. It was about finally being able to say: I was telling the truth.”

The pardon drew sharp criticism from civil rights advocates, who saw it as undermining reforms sparked by the case, including federal oversight of the department that reduced brutality complaints.

Rebuilding Life After Prison

Post-release, Mohr rebuilt quietly, working as a Property Standards Inspector and later in construction standards roles for county governments. 

Dogs remained a source of healing for her. As she put it, “My dogs saved me as much as I saved them.”

You Be the Judge: Was Justice Served?

Mohr's story continues to divide opinions. Supporters, including police unions, argue she was scapegoated in an overzealous federal push. Critics maintain the conviction held officers accountable for excessive force.

Mohr has left the judgment to others: “That’s not for me to decide anymore. I’ve lived with the consequences. Now I just want people to hear the full story.”

Her case serves as a reminder that split-second decisions in policing can echo for decades, touching on broader issues of reform, redemption, and the human toll on first responders. 

The special episode of Law Enforcement Talk highlights these themes, focusing on supporting those whose lives are forever altered by moments on duty.

Get more information for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and most major podcast platforms.

Attributions

Police Defense

USA Today



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