Outrage is mounting after a Baltimore judge sentenced a man convicted of violently assaulting two elderly pro-life activists to no prison time, instead giving him a year of home detention and probation.
Patrick Brice, 28, was convicted in February on two counts of second-degree assault and two counts of reckless endangerment after viciously attacking 73-year-old Mark Crosby and 84-year-old Richard Schaefer outside a Planned Parenthood facility in May 2023. Despite the severity of the attack — caught on surveillance video and resulting in serious injuries — Judge Yvette M. Bryant declined to impose any prison sentence.
Pro-life advocate Mark Crosby reacts after his attacker gets one year of home detention for kicking him and punching him in the face. Prosecutors wanted 10 years in prison, but a Baltimore judge imposed no prison time. pic.twitter.com/xBQHIUkh8s
— Leif Le Mahieu (@leif_lemahieu) August 7, 2025
Brutal Assault, Light Sentence
The disturbing assault, which left Crosby with a fractured facial bone, blindness in one eye, fractured fingers, and long-term sensitivity to light, sparked public demands for justice. The attack was so violent that Crosby was hospitalized and left permanently injured. Schaefer, who was tackled into a large planter, also sustained injuries.
Video footage showed Brice engaging in a heated argument with Schaefer before slamming him into a planter, then turning his attention to Crosby. The 73-year-old, who had rushed to intervene, was pushed to the ground, punched repeatedly in the face, and then kicked in the head.
Still, Judge Bryant sentenced Brice to just one year of home detention — which still allows travel for work or medical reasons — and three years of probation. Brice is also barred from approaching abortion or pro-life clinics during that time.
Prosecutors had requested a 10-year sentence, arguing that a strong message was needed to deter politically or ideologically motivated violence in public spaces. That message, however, was not delivered in this courtroom.
Victims, Advocates Condemn the Decision
Speaking outside the courthouse, Crosby was blunt in his assessment of the justice system: “Baltimore City is criminal-friendly. It’s not victim-friendly at all, especially if you’re a senior,” he said. “Judges do not like pro-lifers. They don’t like us saving babies, I don’t know why.”
Crosby brought photographs of his bloodied face and the torn shirt he wore the day of the attack, cut off him by emergency personnel during trauma care. He also submitted a victim impact statement, read in court by attorney Terrell Roberts, in which he described Brice kicking him in the face “like a football player kicking a field goal.”
Schaefer and Crosby have since returned to the same Planned Parenthood where the attack took place, continuing their advocacy against abortion despite the violent assault.
Claims of Bias and Failed Justice
Brice claimed he “snapped” after Schaefer allegedly made a racially insensitive comment. He told the court he was not politically motivated and expressed regret. However, Crosby believes the attack was religiously motivated, citing that Brice ripped a crucifix off his neck and threw it into nearby bushes — a point Brice denied.
Roberts criticized the judge’s handling of the case and the jury’s acquittal of Brice on more serious first-degree assault charges.
“Justice was not served in this case,” Roberts told The Daily Wire. “They gave him all the slack in the world.”
The lenient sentence, especially in a case involving elderly victims and graphic violence, has reignited concerns about the state of law and order in Baltimore. Critics argue that ideological bias, whether political or religious, appears to be influencing the city’s handling of such cases.
Broader Implications
The case highlights growing concerns about unequal treatment under the law, particularly when violent acts are committed against individuals holding socially conservative or religious views. Many see the sentence as a dangerous precedent — one that may embolden more attacks on people peacefully expressing unpopular opinions.
While Brice avoided prison, the physical and psychological scars left on Crosby and Schaefer remain. Despite this, both men have vowed to continue their efforts — a testament to their resilience in a city where justice, they say, isn’t blind — it’s partisan.
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Why would garbage–even such trash for judges–all for ripping babies apart care about elderly protestors being brutally beat up?
Ahhh…The Race Card finally gets played. Until that last paragraph, this was a story of violence between pro-lifers and pro women’s rights, groups. No mention of race.
So what excuse er um solidly based legal decision did the ‘judge’ use to make such an onerous sentence? A look at her career is likely in order, I’ll bet she has a track record of handing out light sentences. And is she ‘elected’ or is she a political appointee?