Judge Lets Violent Attacker Walk Free After Brutal Assault on Elderly Pro-Life Protesters

Victim left with permanent eye damage after brutal attack outside Baltimore Planned Parenthood

A man caught on video violently attacking two elderly pro-life advocates outside a Baltimore Planned Parenthood clinic will not serve a single day behind bars, sparking outrage from pro-life groups and members of the public alike.

Patrick Brice, 28, was sentenced this week to just one year of home detention and three years of probation, despite being convicted of second-degree assault and reckless endangerment in the May 2023 incident that left one of the victims with permanent injuries.

Baltimore Circuit Judge Yvette M. Bryant handed down the sentence on Thursday, rejecting prosecutors’ recommendation of a 10-year prison term.

According to court documents and surveillance footage, Brice shoved 84-year-old Richard Schaefer into a large flowerpot during an argument outside the facility, then turned and punched 73-year-old Mark Crosby, who had rushed to intervene. Both men were knocked to the ground.

Crosby was hospitalized with broken facial bones and suffered lasting damage to his right eye.

As the sentencing concluded, Crosby reportedly stood and shouted at the judge: “What about my rights and my well-being?”

Brice told the court he had originally intended to engage in a debate about morality and sin but “snapped” after interpreting a comment from Schaefer as racially offensive. He apologized to both men during the hearing.

As part of his sentence, Brice is required to complete anger management, remain in therapy, and undergo drug and alcohol screening.

But for many, that punishment doesn’t match the severity of the crime.

“This was not a case of mutual confrontation—it was a brutal attack on two senior citizens who were peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights,” said Tom Brejcha, president of the Thomas More Society, a law firm that represents pro-life activists nationwide.

“One of them was knocked unconscious. The other has a lifelong injury. This kind of violence deserves real consequences—not a year at home,” he added.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, photos of Crosby—his face swollen and bloodied—circulated widely on social media. He was wearing a “Pro Life” T-shirt when attacked, according to local activists.

Jay Walton, president of Baltimore County Right to Life, said Crosby had spent years outside the clinic praying and offering assistance to women considering abortion.

“Mark has always been a peaceful presence,” Walton wrote in a GoFundMe appeal launched after the incident. “He was simply standing for life. What happened to him was senseless and cruel.”

According to police reports, multiple eyewitnesses said the violence was sudden and unprovoked. One said Brice became agitated during a discussion about abortion and “without warning tackled [Schaefer] into a large flowerpot.”

Crosby tried to help and was punched repeatedly, the report states. Both men were treated at local hospitals.

In a written statement read aloud in court, Crosby said: “We were in no position to defend ourselves. To treat elderly folks with that kind of brutality is shocking.”

The case has drawn national attention from pro-life organizations and free speech advocates who worry that peaceful protest—especially by older Americans—is increasingly met with hostility.

“It’s not about whether you agree with someone’s views. This is about safety, respect, and the rule of law,” said one observer. “If the justice system can’t protect our elderly from this kind of violence, who will?”

The Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office has not commented on the reduced sentence. Calls for an appeal or further review of the sentencing decision have begun circulating online.

Under President Trump’s second term, federal officials have emphasized the importance of protecting the rights of peaceful demonstrators across the political spectrum. Whether this case prompts further action remains to be seen.