Towson Murder Tied to Alleged Gang War
Local law enforcement officials say the death of a Towson man in July, 2019, is tied to a gang war. According to police, at least seven members of the MS-13 gang followed the victim home from a laundromat and stabbed him to death. They believe the man had been seen by MS-13 members holding up a hand sign of a rival gang known as 18th Street. Law enforcement officers have arrested seven members of MS-13 and charged them with homicide.
The MS-13 gang, originally founded on the West Coast, is comprised of Salvadoran refugees. Officials say the large Salvadoran population in Maryland has led to an influx of MS-13 activity.
AV-Rated Carroll County Criminal Defense Lawyer
Jonathan Scott Smith brings more than 30 years of experience to criminal defendants throughout the greater Baltimore area and across the state of Maryland. He’s been named one of the top 100 lawyers in Maryland by Super Lawyers, and was designated a Top Rated Lawyer by The American Lawyer Magazine in 2012. The American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys has named him as one of the “10 Best Attorneys in the State of Maryland in Client Satisfaction.”
Attorney Smith is a highly experienced trial attorney, with the skill, knowledge and resources to protect your rights in any criminal prosecution. He’ll also gather, assess and preserve all evidence in your defense and will confirm that police and prosecutors followed constitutional requirements. He’ll carefully question all potential witnesses, so that he can prepare and present the strongest arguments in your defense. He’ll aggressively protect your constitutional rights throughout the criminal process, from investigation and arrest to arraignment and trial.
Smith has been AV-rated (the highest rating possible) by his colleagues in the legal profession under Martindale-Hubbell’s Peer Review Rating System every year since 1988 and has also received Martindale-Hubbell’s Client Distinction Award, awarded to less than 4% of all attorneys in that directory. The National Trial Lawyers Association, a “by invitation only” professional organization, has honored him as one of the top 100 attorneys in Maryland.
Smith is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, given to less than 1% of all American lawyers who have obtained million dollar judgments, awards or settlements. He has a 10.0 (Superb rating) as a litigation attorney from AVVO and has also received the Client’s Choice Award from AVVO, with an average client review of 5 stars.
Criminal Defense Attorney in Ellicott City, Maryland
Contact us by e-mail or call our office at 410-740-0101 for an appointment. We represent criminal defendants in Carroll County, Frederick County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Prince George’s County and Montgomery County in Maryland.


Earlier this month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland announced the creation of the Baltimore Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a combined effort between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to try to reduce
A 35-year-old Baltimore man is in custody after be arrested for firing shots at a Baltimore police officer on Thursday, August 15. Officers say the defendant was walking in the middle of the road around 2:30 am, near the intersection of Marglenn and Springwood in Overlea, carrying a handgun. After being ordered to put his hands up, the defendant fled, with the officer in pursuit. As the pursuing officer took cover behind a vehicle, the defendant fired a shot. Another officer then apprehended the defendant. Police found two loaded handguns on the scene, as well as the casing from the fired bullet.
Police officials in Baltimore released statistics earlier this month, comparing the number of homicides in the city over the first half of the year with each of the prior two years. According to the data, 171 murders had been reported in 2019, compared with 147 a year ago. The report also indicated a significant increase in the number of non-fatal shootings and attempted murders, up 28 percent over the last 12 months. As further evidence of the serious problem the city faces, Fraternal Order of Police representatives say the bloodshed has only intensified in the last two weeks, with 11 homicides in just 14 days.
A 17-year-old male was slain shortly after 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve near the 4500 block of Green Rose Lane, bringing Baltimore’s homicide total for 2018 to 309. Though that’s a drop from 2017, when 343 were killed, it’s the fourth year in a row that the number of violent deaths has exceeded 300. Police say they were called to investigate a reported shooting and found the teen, who died on the scene.
According to Baltimore police, a 








