Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Murder
In what prosecutors say was a case of mistaken identity, a 24-year-old Baltimore man received a 65 year sentence in the fatal shooting of another 24-year in November, 2015. The defendant had been charged and acquitted of first-degree murder for the same crime. Initial reports suggested that the victim was killed because he was building a fence around his home to prevent drug activity in and around his property. After his death, neighbors completed construction of the fence.
At trial, though, prosecutors told the jury that the victim had been mistaken for someone else and that the killing was allegedly in retaliation for another shooting. The State’s Attorney said there had been gunfire at the defendant’s grandmother’s home and that the defendant was told that the perpetrators of that crime were in Park Heights. Prosecutors say the defendant saw only a shadow of what he believed was his intended target and fired four times. Police did not find the gun until nearly a year later, but were able to match it to the crime scene.
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For more than 30 years, criminal defense attorney Jonathan Scott Smith has fought to protect the rights of people throughout Baltimore and the state of Maryland. He takes a thorough approach, combining an extensive knowledge of criminal law and procedure with a comprehensive understanding of how prosecutors prepare their cases. He’ll carefully investigate the facts and circumstances of your case, ensuring that law enforcement officers followed proper procedure and that your constitutional rights were protected.
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