Man attacks elderly protesters, faces light punishment
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A violent assault outside a Baltimore Planned Parenthood facility in May 2023 left Mark Crosby with severe injuries and sparked a legal battle that continues to unfold.
The incident occurred when Crosby, 73, and Dick Schaefer, 84, were conducting their routine morning prayers outside the facility. The two retirees had been regularly offering pro-life materials to facility visitors between 9 and 11 a.m., five days each week.
Surveillance footage captured a heated exchange between a bearded man and Schaefer about abortion, which escalated when the assailant charged at Schaefer, throwing him backward into a flower pot. Witnesses reported that Schaefer lost consciousness for several minutes. When Crosby rushed to assist his fellow advocate, the attacker knocked him down, delivered a punch to his head, and kicked his face before departing the scene.
NEW: Man found guilty of assaulting elderly pro-life advocates outside a Baltimore Planned Parenthood on May 26, 2023
Patrick Brice, 28, was convicted of two counts of second-degree assault and reckless endangerment
Victims Richard Schaefer, 84, and Mark Crosby, 73, wereโฆ pic.twitter.com/VnURmW2tqV
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) February 8, 2025
The assault left Crosby with devastating injuries. His upper right cheek plate was completely fractured, and he experienced bleeding behind his eye. The damage was so severe that his eye orbit was shattered, requiring metal replacement. Crosby endured nine days of blindness in his right eye, spent three days in trauma care, and still deals with persistent discomfort from a partially damaged iris.
More than a year later, in July 2024, authorities arrested Baltimore resident Patrick Brice for the attack. The 28-year-old faced charges including first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and assault on elderly persons over 65. After being released on his own recognizance, Brice’s trial commenced in Baltimore Circuit Court.
During the proceedings, Brice invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and remained silent. His defense attorney, Matthew Connell, argued that his client lacked intent to cause serious harm, while characterizing the victims in controversial terms. Meanwhile, prosecutor Ashley Sudberry condemned the attack as “brazen, callous, barbaric behavior.”
๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐-๐ช๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐น๐ฒ
Two elderly pro-life advocates, 80-year-old Dick Schafer and 73-year-old Mark Crosby, were violently beaten while praying outside of a planned parenthood.
Crosbyโs plate bone in his upperโฆ pic.twitter.com/K6na0RtvUC
— AnnMarie Xo (@AnnMarieXo1) May 31, 2023
The jury’s verdict proved mixed. While convicting Brice of second-degree assault and reckless endangerment for both victims, they acquitted him of first-degree assault against Schaefer. The jury deadlocked on the first-degree assault charge regarding Crosby’s injuries.
Legal expert Terrell Roberts, representing Crosby through the Thomas More Society, expressed concern that Brice might receive only probation. While the misdemeanor convictions technically carry maximum sentences of 10 and 5 years, sentencing guidelines and Brice’s clean record make jail time unlikely without a first-degree assault conviction.
Prosecutors are currently reviewing whether to retry the first-degree assault charge, which could result in up to 25 years imprisonment. Roberts continues pressing for a retrial, citing strong evidence, though he reports no progress in communications with prosecutors.
Despite his ordeal, Crosby has expressed forgiveness toward Brice but maintains his desire for justice through a first-degree assault conviction. Brice’s sentencing for the current convictions is scheduled for March 20.
