Baltimore, MD – According to The Baltimore Sun, the family of Samuel “Big Sam” Brown demanded justice on Thursday following their review of body-worn camera footage depicting a fatal confrontation with a Baltimore County Police officer. Brown, 56, succumbed to injuries on February 27, 2026, after spending nearly two weeks in a coma stemming from the incident on February 16, 2026.
The encounter began as a routine wellness check around 3:20 a.m. in Woodlawn, when Officer Derek Hadel responded to reports of an individual asleep at the wheel of a vehicle. Brown was found in the driver’s seat of his SUV, wearing an orange vest, with the door open after Hadel reportedly assisted in opening it due to Brown struggling with the window. What started as a conversation escalated quickly into a physical altercation.
The footage, released by the Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division (IID) on March 4, 2026, captures the tense moments. Initial audio is muted due to a camera buffer, but as Brown exits the vehicle, Hadel extends his hand toward Brown’s stomach in an apparent attempt to maintain distance. Brown swats the officer’s hand away twice, prompting Hadel to yell, “Get in your f—ing car, sir,” before delivering two punches to Brown’s face. The strikes caused Brown to collapse, resulting in a severe head injury that led to critical condition.
Hadel immediately called for medical assistance, noting the visible injury and stating he was “trying to help you out” while handcuffing the prone Brown. Blood streamed from Brown’s head as additional officers arrived. Despite surgical intervention, Brown was declared brain dead upon arrival at the hospital and remained on life support for 11 days before his death.
During a news conference outside Baltimore County Police Precinct 2, Brown’s family and their attorney, Billy Murphy, condemned the officer’s actions as “completely unnecessary, inexcusable and criminal.” Murphy emphasized that Brown was defenseless and “obviously drunk,” asserting there was no justification for the use of force. “Justice requires that Officer Hadel be fired, prosecuted and sued,” Murphy declared.
Roberto “Quick” Silva, a close friend of Brown, expressed profound grief, stating, “No one truly understands the pain we feel.” Deja Brown, one of the decedent’s seven children, remembered her father as loving and caring, capable of being “whatever we needed him to be.” She added, “My family just prays that justice be served.”
The family plans to await the IID’s full findings before pursuing legal action, confident that the footage corroborates their account. In a statement, the Baltimore County Police Department affirmed its cooperation with the investigation and highlighted its training programs, including academy instruction on threat assessment, de-escalation, and communication.
According to department policy, officers must take reasonable steps to de-escalate conflicts when feasible and use force only if necessary and proportional to prevent imminent threats. Jason Johnson, president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund and former deputy commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department from 2016 to 2018, offered perspective on the incident. He noted that Brown’s hand swats could constitute assault, making punches a potentially reasonable response to repel it, though strikes to the face are generally disfavored in training.
Johnson stressed that the IID must examine all facts, including those not visible in the video, to determine compliance with policy. The investigation into this police use of force incident continues, with the IID seeking additional evidence, such as cellphone or surveillance footage. Individuals with information are encouraged to contact the IID at 410-576-7070 or IID@oag.maryland.gov.
Brown’s death has reignited discussions on police accountability and the handling of non-violent encounters in Maryland communities. The family’s pursuit of accountability underscores ongoing concerns about the balance between officer safety and the sanctity of life during routine interactions. For more information, visit The Baltimore Sun.