Despite promise of reforms the Baltimore Police Department continues to keep personal records secret, even when an officer is convicted of a crime
Story Transcript
TAYA GRAHAM: This is a simple story told with a simple video, but it reveals how deeply troubled American policing is and how little the civilians they serve can do about it.
The story starts with a young man working at a Baltimore pizza parlor. Suddenly he’s confronted by the father of a co-worker who, unprovoked, hits him across the face.
But the attacker is not done. When the young man tries to remove him from the premises, Baltimore Police Detective Daniel Nicholson strikes him again and takes him to the ground.
Charging documents say that Nicholson, a veteran cop, confronted the young man because he believed he had mistreated his daughter during a dispute over unwashed dishes. But investigators concluded that the story was not true. And so Nicholson was charged and convicted of assault.
But the story does not end there, because we contacted Nicholson’s lawyer for comment, and he told us the veteran cop was still on the force and is not yet facing internal charges. So we asked the Baltimore Police Department for his employment status, and they would not comment. Finally, we asked the victim, but he too declined to talk with us.
But the case shows once again how little input civilians have over police, and how much power police believe they have. In fact, this is not the first time Nicholson has gotten into trouble. He was charged for breaking into a private residence when he thought his daughter was there, and assaulting two occupants. But the department looked the other way, and Nicholson kept his job.
Residents have little control or information on internal police discipline. The city’s Civilian Review Board, which investigates brutality complaints independent of the department, can only recommend, not give out, punishment, and said the decision not to discipline Nicholson was made in secret; a process which protects police from scrutiny in the past, and creates unforeseen dangers in the present.
This is Taya Graham and Stephen Janis reporting for The Real News Network in Baltimore City, Maryland.
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Senior Investigative Reporter & Capitol Hill Correspondent
Taya Graham is an award-winning investigative journalist, documentary filmmaker, and Capitol Hill Correspondent whose work bridges rigorous reporting with deep community impact. As the host of The Police Accountability Report at The Real News Network, she has become a trusted voice for transparency in policing and governance, using a mix of field reporting, data analysis, and citizen storytelling to expose systemic injustices. The show has garnered more than 50 million views across platforms, drawing a national audience to issues of accountability and reform.
Her work spans platforms and audiences, from producing Truth and Reconciliation, the acclaimed WYPR podcast exploring race and justice, to co-directing the award-winning documentaries The Friendliest Town and Tax Broke. Her five-year investigation into Baltimore’s tax incentive system (TIFs and PILOTs) revealed how corporate subsidies perpetuate inequality, sparking legislative action and community advocacy.
In addition to her reporting, Taya played a key role in shaping The Real News Network’s internal policies and labor framework, including helping draft the language around the organization’s AI policy in its collective bargaining agreement. Her work ensured that innovation and worker protections coexist, setting a model for how newsrooms can adopt technology responsibly.
Taya’s career began at The Afro-American Newspaper and Historic Black University Morgan State Radio, where she honed her craft in public service storytelling. She continues to lead with the belief that journalism should not only inform but empower—meeting new audiences where they are and inspiring them to engage in the democratic process.
More by Taya Graham
Senior Investigative Reporter & Capitol Hill Correspondent
Stephen Janis is an award-winning investigative journalist, author, and documentary filmmaker whose work has shaped accountability journalism in Baltimore and beyond. As a Capitol Hill Correspondent and senior reporter at The Real News Network, he continues to uncover the systems behind inequality, corruption, and power while turning complex investigations into stories that inspire reform and public engagement.
His first feature documentary, The Friendliest Town, was distributed by Gravitas Ventures and received an Award of Distinction from The Impact Doc Film Festival and a Humanitarian Award from The Indie Film Fest. He co-created and co-hosts The Police Accountability Report, which has reached more than fifty million viewers on YouTube and helped spark national conversations on policing and transparency. His work has also appeared on Unsolved Mysteries (Netflix), Dead of Night (Investigation Discovery), Relentless (NBC), and Sins of the City (TV One).
Stephen has co-authored several books on policing, corruption, and the roots of violence, including Why Do We Kill: The Pathology of Murder in Baltimore and You Can’t Stop Murder: Truths About Policing in Baltimore and Beyond. He also co-hosts the true crime podcast Land of the Unsolved, which investigates cold cases through a lens of justice and accountability.
Before joining The Real News Network, Stephen worked as an investigative producer for WBFF Fox 45, where his reporting earned three Capital Emmys. Known for embracing technology as a tool for social awareness, he uses data analysis, digital production, and emerging storytelling platforms to connect investigative journalism with younger audiences while maintaining its integrity and depth.
Stephen’s work is grounded in clarity, empathy, and a belief that journalism should not only expose the truth but empower people to act on it.
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