A 28-year-old man, filmed attacking two pro-life activists outside a family planning clinic in Baltimore, has been sentenced to a year of home detention and three years of probation. This sentence was handed down by Baltimore Circuit Judge Yvette M. Bryant, who opted against a 10-year term for Patrick Bryce, who was convicted of two counts of second-degree assault and reckless endangerment linked to the incident from May 2023.
As Bryce left the courtroom, one of his victims, 73-year-old Mark Crosby, visibly upset, reportedly shouted, “What about my rights and happiness?”
On May 26, during a demonstration, Bryce claimed he was there to discuss sin outside the clinic, where another victim, 84-year-old Richard Schaefer, was present. The situation escalated after Schaefer made a comment Bryce interpreted as racially charged. Surveillance footage captured the moment when Bryce pushed Schaefer into a flower pot before turning on Crosby, who was trying to assist.
In court, Bryce reportedly remarked, “I just took one day,” before he apologized to both men. His sentence includes mandatory participation in anger management classes, along with drug and alcohol screenings and ongoing treatment.
Crosby has since stated that the attack resulted in permanent damage to his right eye.
According to statements made after the incident, it was described not as a simple disagreement between two opposing views on abortion, but rather a brutal assault targeting elderly individuals who were peacefully praying and providing support to those in need of alternatives to abortion.
Images shared by Jay Walton, the president of the Baltimore County Chapter of Rights, showed Crosby injured, with blood on his face while wearing a shirt that read “Pro Life.”
Walton later noted on GoFundMe, “One of our volunteers, Mark Crosby, was cruelly beaten while praying outside a clinic in Baltimore. Currently, Mark is in the hospital being treated for serious injuries.” He also emphasized that Crosby had spent years providing support and love to young women who felt scared or pressured regarding unexpected pregnancies.
In a police report, an officer relayed that Crosby was outside the clinic to advocate for pro-life values when he was attacked. Witnesses indicated the scuffle began as a discussion regarding their differing pro-life perspectives and ended violently.
Crosby’s attorney, Terrell Roberts, conveyed to the court the gravity of the incident, stating it highlighted a profound disregard for both the law and basic human decency. He reiterated Crosby’s shock at being unable to protect himself during the sudden and brutal assault on an elderly person.
