A 41-year-old man from Maryland, Joseph White, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for the murder of 28-year-old Christopher Foster. The incident occurred at a Baltimore subway station in April 2023, when White pushed Foster onto the electrified tracks. White was convicted of second-degree murder, and the judge gave him the maximum sentence because of the shocking and cruel nature of the crime.
Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates spoke out about the case, calling the act “horrific and shocking.” Bates said White pushed Foster not once, but twice, making sure he fell onto the tracks, where he was electrocuted by the live rail. Bates expressed his sympathy for Foster’s family, describing the pain of losing a loved one in such a violent way as “unbearable.”
The crime was discovered when police responded to a call at the Shot Tower subway station on April 12, 2023. They found Foster had been pushed onto the tracks and was electrocuted. White had been standing behind Foster and shoved him without warning. After pushing him, White fled the scene.
Foster’s mother, Carole Fields, spoke out with anger and sadness, saying she couldn’t understand how someone could take her son’s life in such a callous way. She said she wanted to see the person responsible held accountable for his actions.
Video footage from the subway station helped police identify White as the person who pushed Foster onto the tracks. The video showed him pushing Foster, causing him to fall and make contact with the electrified rail. White was eventually found in a hotel in New York City and arrested.
During his trial, White claimed that he and Foster had an argument, and that’s why he pushed him. He also said he didn’t remember pushing Foster a second time. White described feeling panic and fear, which led to his reaction. Despite his claims, the court found him guilty, and he was sentenced to 40 years in prison for his role in Foster’s death.
