Maryland Law Blog

Wild Ride Ends in Capture in Prince George’s County

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:00:54 -0500

A Waldorf gunpoint robbery ended in a high-speed chase on May 2. As reported by somdnews.com, while returning to her car after using an ATM outside a Waldorf Marketplace bank, a woman was robbed by a man with a gun. The man left the scene in an old model Honda. A woman was driving. The victim and several witnesses to the robbery were able to describe the vehicle to Charles County Sheriff’s officers.

The vehicle was spotted in Waldorf near McKendree Road on U.S. 301. When the officer attempted to pull the car over, the female driver would not stop, so officers continued pursuit of the Honda to Prince George’s County to the Brandywine Crossing Shopping Center where they were able to force the vehicle to stop. A man tried to get away on foot but was apprehended by officers. The woman driver stayed in the car and was arrested at the scene.

Diane Richardson, Charles County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, said the incident began at 11:10 a.m. when officers arrived at the scene of the robbery. She added that in the pursuit of the robbery suspects no one was injured. The man, age 27, and the woman, age 19, were charged with armed robbery. The driver was also cited with various traffic violations.

Charges Dropped against Anne Arundel County Teacher

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:26:32 -0500

Courtesy of ABC2News.com, charges of felony solicitation against a former Anne Arundel County teacher have been dropped. However, the former high school teacher remains charged with exchanging naked pictures with a student. The teacher worked with Anne Arundel County students for seven years before becoming allegedly too close to a Broadneck High School senior. She taught English, was an advisor for student government, and also a girls’ basketball coach. Three of her years teaching in Anne Arundel County were spent at North County High and four at Broadneck High.

According to charging documents, the relationship began in 2010 when the teacher asked the victim if he would send her naked pictures of himself. If he would do so, she would send pictures of herself to the student. Police acted on an anonymous tip. Once the allegation was made, the spokesman for Anne Arundel County Public Schools said the teacher was removed from the classroom.

Montgomery County Police Make Arrest in Wheaton Stabbing

Tue, 07 May 2013 17:26:05 -0500

Montgomery County police recently reported that a 20-year-old man who allegedly stabbed another man, age 18, has now been arrested. Courtesy of Gazette.Net, the man arrested has been charged with the following:

First-degree assault
Reckless endangerment
Attempted first-degree murder

According to a Montgomery County Police news release, the arrest took place on April 18 in conjunction with a Wheaton stabbing that had taken place just two nights prior. On the night the stabbing occurred, police officers were responding to a report of a pedestrian down who had been hit by a car in the area of Reedie Drive and Georgia Avenue. Once officers arrived at the scene, they discovered instead a man, age 18, who had been stabbed approximately 16 times. According to the news release, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue responded and transported the victim to a local trauma center with life-threatening injuries. He was released from the hospital several days later and is now at home recovering.

Southern Maryland Woman Charged with Criminally Negligent Manslaughter

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:00:40 -0500

A Southern Maryland motorist who was driving when her car crashed, killing her front-seat passenger, has a scheduled appearance in a St. Mary’s Courtroom to be arraigned on a charge of criminally negligent manslaughter. Courtesy of somdnews.com, the charge stems from a car crash last year on North Sandgates Road.

A Mechanicsville area resident, age 22, was behind the wheel of a 1996 Dodge Intrepid on April 28 when the vehicle veered off the road and crashed into two utility poles. The crash occurred at 2:26 a.m. The driver’s 23-year-old passenger, riding in the front seat, also from Mechanicsville, died from the injuries she received. The driver and an additional passenger were thrown from the vehicle, found conscious nearby and were transported to a local hospital.

The criminal charge of negligent manslaughter was not, according to Laura Caspar, St. Mary’s Assistant State’s Attorney, due to the presence of alcohol in her blood. The speed the car was traveling was instead the basis of the criminal charge. Criminally negligent manslaughter is a misdemeanor version of Maryland’s felony vehicular manslaughter law.

Two Suspects Arrested and Charged in Violent Robbery

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:38:48 -0500

According to Calvert County Police News Briefs, two suspects in a violent assault and robbery have been arrested. Each has been charged with the following:

Robbery
Armed robbery
Intent to injure with a dangerous weapon
First degree assault
Second degree assault
Theft of less than $1,000

A vehicle belonging to one of the men arrested and charged was seized, a 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup. Additional search warrants were issued after the arrests which yielded more evidence. Both men were positively identified by the victim of the robbery and assault.

The initial investigation revealed that the victim had been jumped from the rear and hit with a metal object that may have been a pipe. The suspects stole $700 cash from the beating victim, took some other items and then fled the scene, Kappatos Way at Hardesty Road in Sunderland.

Revised Maryland Gun Control Bill Ready for Governor’s Signature

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:07:41 -0500

Maryland’s gun laws are about to become among the strictest in the U.S. As reported by Fox News, the new gun control bill received final passage in the Maryland Senate after slight changes to the bill were approved on Wednesday by the House of Delegates. The Senate vote was 28 in favor, 19 opposed. The measure is now on its way to the desk of Governor Martin O’Malley who proposed the new legislation.

The new bill restricts firearms access for the mentally ill, bans 45 types of assault rifles, and limits gun magazine capacity to ten. Those who purchase handguns will be required to submit fingerprints to the state police, making Maryland the first state in almost 20 years to pass such a requirement. Fingerprints are required in only five other states: New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Hawaii.

Governor O’Malley said the bill’s success demonstrated that the majority of Maryland’s citizens support reducing gun violence through advancing legislation that will save lives.

Gun Control Receives Final Approval in Maryland House of Delegates

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:56:48 -0500

As reported by somd.com, a slightly changed version of Governor Martin O’Malley’s gun control bill was approved by Maryland delegates on Wednesday, April 3rd, after two long days of debate on the House floor.

All of the most significant provisions of the version passed by the Senate were kept intact. Those include the following:

Limit the mentally ill’s access to firearms
Ban assault rifles
Lower magazines’ ammunition capacity from 20 to ten
Require fingerprinting of individuals who purchase handguns
Require at least eight hours of safety training for those who purchase handguns

Conservative Democrats and Republicans made several attempts to amend the bill. Efforts were made to narrow the definition of assault rifle, get rid of the mandate for fingerprinting those who buy handguns, and to delay the date the bill would take effect.

Investigation Underway in Calvert Shooting Death

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:21:44 -0500

The man who shot and killed one of two alleged intruders outside his Huntingtown home was in fear of being killed, according to Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans. The shooting occurred on March 31 at around 10:30 p.m., according to the police report. As reported by thebaynet.com, the shooting happened on Harlequin Court near a private residence.

Sheriff Evans told reporters that the man who feared for his life was a retired, Washington D.C. police officer himself. According to the preliminary investigation by the Calvert Investigative Team (CIT) the home owner was inside his home at the time and heard a loud knock or banging on his front door. Before opening the door, the resident found his handgun. When he opened the door, he saw two people. Both acted aggressively and made threatening statements. One had a weapon, which he proceeded to brandish. The resident was afraid of losing his life, so he shot at the suspects. One was hit and fell dead near the home’s driveway. The other suspect left the scene of the incident in a vehicle.

Sex Offender Wanted for Home Invasion

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:00:31 -0500

Public assistance is being requested by the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations in locating a Mechanicsville man who is wanted on charges of home invasions. Courtesy of Southern Maryland News Net, the home invasion happened on March 18 near Leonardtown. According to the arrest warrant, the accused has been charged with multiple offenses of home invasion.

The accused was convicted of a sex crime involving a minor in 2009. He was sentenced to seven years jail time with all but 18 months suspended. Additionally, the suspect was convicted of first degree burglary in 2009, which resulted in a five year prison sentence. Only 18 months were served after the rest of the sentence was suspended.

The St. Mary’s County criminal defense attorneys at the law firm of Alpert Schreyer believe that all who are accused of facing criminal charges deserve a fair trial and the chance to protect their future. Facing the legal system can be a daunting task. We pursue the best possible outcome in each individual case while protecting our client’s rights.

Charles County Woman Charged with Theft Crimes

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:34:16 -0500

A 21-year-old woman who lives in Hughesville, Maryland in Charles County has been arrested and charged with theft. As reported by thebaynet.com and Southern Maryland News Net, and published on March 28, a search-and-seizure warrant was executed at a private residence in Charles County, Maryland. St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) was aided by Charles County Criminal Investigations Division officers in the execution of the warrant. The St. Mary’s County BCI is a team of investigators made up of detectives from the Maryland State Police — Leonardtown Barrack as well as detectives from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. The investigatory unit is based in Leonardtown and was founded on the first of July, 2003.

The report of the arrest and charges issued was released to reporters by the St. Mary’s County BCI. The woman arrested at the home was charged with the following:

Theft of $1,000 to $10,000 — two counts
Theft and 1st Degree Burglary of less than $1,000 — three counts
For failing to appear for a Circuit Court sentence hearing concerning unrelated charges, the accused was also served with an outstanding warrant.

Legislation to Allow Dispensing of Medical Marijuana Headed to Senate

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 08:00:03 -0500

A medical marijuana bill has passed in the Maryland House of Delegates after the proposal was endorsed by two committees. As reported by The Baltimore Sun, if the bill passes in the Senate and becomes law, nurses and physicians would be permitted to administer marijuana as a drug to patients who have intractable pain, cancer patients, and others.

Earlier in March, a House committee rejected a broad proposal, creating compassionate care centers where medical marijuana would be distributed. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has gone on record in support of what his administration has called a yellow-light approach to the subject.

The measure was introduced to two committees, Health and Government Operations and the Judiciary Committee, by Delegate Dan Morhaim, who is also a physician.

Maryland lawmakers have been listening to testimony regarding the legalization of marijuana in the state. Most agree, including the measure’s sponsor, that Maryland’s legalization of the sale and use of marijuana for purposes other than a medical reason is years away.

Former Prince George’s County Police Officer Seeking New Trial

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:53:22 -0500

As reported by the Associated Press and ABC 7, a former Prince George’s County policeman and homeland security officer who was recently convicted of first-degree assault and involuntary manslaughter is asking for a new trial and seeking a reduction in the original sentence. In the January, 2007, the former policeman and homeland security officer shot a furniture delivery man and wounded a second delivery man.

The convicted former police officer who is currently serving a 45-year sentence says that the men attacked him first. He also claims that mistakes were made by his lawyers in defending him and that evidence failed to be disclosed by prosecutors in the case. He was granted a post-conviction hearing, which is now underway in Prince George’s County. According to the first witness called, a paramedic who had examined the shooter upon responding to the shooting, the man had swelling of the lips and under the eyes indicating that he had been hit more than one time.

Prince George’s County Teen Charged in Murder of Olney Teen

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:21:57 -0500

As reported by gazette.net, Maryland Community News Online, a Prince George’s County teen was indicted on Thursday, March 14, 2013, in the death of an 18-year-old. According to Bill Miller, spokesman for the District of Columbia Attorney’s Office, the accused teen is being charged as an adult in the stabbing attack.

The incident occurred in the Woodley Park Metro station in Adams Morgan last November. The victim died at a local hospital from injuries sustained. A grand jury in District of Columbia Superior Court indicted the teen, charging him with a series of charges: armed robbery, conspiracy, assault with significant injury of a person, assault with a dangerous weapon, a firearms offense, and, most seriously, with felony murder.

Charles County Man Indicted on Vehicular Manslaughter Charges for Death of Passenger

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:48:15 -0500

A Charles County man has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and negligent homicide while under the influence of alcohol stemming from a February 5, 2012 crash in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. According to Maryland police, he was driving a pickup truck traveling on New Market Turner Road heading toward Route 235 when the truck veered out of control, crossed the center line of the highway and struck a tree near the Korner Karryout convenience store. The male passenger in the truck, a 32-year-old Mechanicsville resident, was killed.

As reported by SoMdNews.com, the man charged with the crimes had a reported blood alcohol level of .14 percent — close to twice the legal limit. St. Mary’s Assistant State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling said that the investigation conducted by police also alleged the vehicle was traveling over 90 miles per hour. That was reportedly confirmed by both a speed analysis and data from an air-bag control module.

Bill to Repeal Maryland’s Death Penalty Likely to Pass in Maryland Senate

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 08:00:37 -0500

Governor Martin O’Malley’s gun-control bill passed in the Maryland Senate on Thursday, February 28th, 2013. Additionally, as reported in The Washington Post and published on March 1st, O’Malley’s bill to repeal the death penalty survived an early test. As both votes were debated, police barricades blocked surrounding streets due to the presences of hundreds of activists on both sides of the issues in question.

In the Senate, the debate regarding whether or not to abolish capital punishment in Maryland became as emotional as it was for activists out on the streets. Senators, in a vote of 19 to 27, turned back an amendment to the bill that would have allowed the death penalty to still be applied in some specific cases such as murders which involve rape. That vote suggests that the Governor’s bill to repeal Maryland’s death penalty will likely pass.