Criminal

Twelve jurors voted unanimously to hold the defendant in the Capital Gazette mass shooting criminally responsible for his actions. The jury consisted of eight men and four women. The family members who attended the trial, which took just under two weeks, thanked the jurors for their verdict. CBS News reported that that one of the…

The Supreme Court of the United States has a juicy slate of opinions coming out this June. Some of cases have received significant local and national coverage, covering topics like healthcare, voting rights, and religious liberties. Others, such as the rulings released today, may receive far less coverage – but that doesn’t make them any…

If you are a fan of the reality television show Big Brother, then you probably heard about Mike “Boogie” Malin’s plea to a felony stalking charge related to his fellow star Dr. Will Kirby, and the penalties associated with it. Those penalties are significant: $370 in fees and restitution (with additional restitution to be determined…

Pick up any paper, check any website, or listen to any local or national news station, and you are bound to hear about the rising crime rates, or the “surge” in violent crime, or the “spike” in criminal activity. There is outrage and handwringing and lots of blame to go around. The discussion keeps circling…

The prosecutor is supposed to be the people’s lawyer. A prosecutor is supposed to fight for the safety of the people in the community he/she represents. Many people have an opinion of prosecutors based solely on what they see on TV and in films about the criminal justice system. It is natural to think their…

Jury trials and bench trials are both options in a criminal defense case, and they offer different benefits and risks. Defendants who are charged with a criminal offense have the Constitutional right to a trial. For many criminal cases, a jury trial could be a defendant’s best option. A jury trial is not mandatory, though.…

Not every conviction results in a prison sentence. Maryland recognizes that communities and defendants are both better served by focusing on treatment instead of imprisonment. Some of the factors that may indicate an alternative is viable include the type of offense that was committed, whether you have a prior record, and whether Maryland has established…

In Maryland, a person who is convicted of a sex crime must register with a sex registry when he/she leaves prisons and starts private life. A sex registry is a database of information about people who have been convicted of various sex crimes. The information is public and available to law enforcement and anyone who…

Criminal trials are serious business, and a defendant’s rights are enshrined in law. You have a right to due process. The prosecution is required to play fairly. Playing fairly means if the prosecution has evidence that you didn’t commit the offense charged or evidence that would reasonably be expected to help your defense, the prosecution…

Nationwide, teenagers have not been physically present in a physical classroom because of the fear of contracting the disease. Instead, most schools in 2020 and 2021 held classes online. This lack of in-person schooling makes it much easier (and more tempting) for teens to skip school when classes are online. According to recent reports, some…

Defendants in criminal cases have the right to due process. This means prosecutors are supposed to play fairly. They must abide by the rules. The job of a prosecutor is to represent the public. The job is not to obtain a conviction against the defendant at all costs. When prosecutors engage in misconduct, the charges…

Suppression of evidence is a fancy way of saying the evidence cannot be used in court. In order to suppress evidence, the criminal defense lawyer must file a formal motion to exclude the evidence. The motion can be filed in federal or state court depending on where the case is being tried. The motion normally…

For the last year, many companies and businesses have been charging fees to cover COVID-19-related health and cleaning services. Those fees can range from $5 for disinfectant in a hair salon to up to $1200 for cleaning and food in senior-living centers. Many consumers do not become aware of the fees until they receive their…

The number of deaths due to drug and alcohol overdoses increased in Maryland during the pandemic. Minority communities are being affected the most. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that between May 2019 and May 2020 deaths from all types of drugs have increased by nearly 17%. ABC News reports…

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the criminal justice system in Maryland is taking steps to depopulate jails and prisons to help reduce the risk of exposure to the disease. In Baltimore, the City’s attorney’s office and the police have stopped prosecuting some low-level offenses. They have dismissed a number of cases and eliminated a…

If you are arrested, or believe you are the subject of a criminal investigation, you are likely considering whether you will need a criminal defense attorney in your corner. Perhaps you are doing this research for yourself, a friend, or family member. Even when charges seem minor, it is always a good idea to have…

When an individual is arrested and charged with a crime, the local prosecutor’s office has the power to prosecute the case, send the offender to a diversion program, or dismiss the case completely. The state’s attorney also makes recommendations to the judge regarding bail or revocation of bail. If you are facing criminal charges, it…

On January 6, 2021, a violent mob stormed the Capitol building in Washington, DC. The riot led to the lockdown of the building, property damage, countless injuries and, when the dust cleared, five deaths. In the ensuing days of confusion and chaos, Americans are hearing terms we haven’t talked about since we were in history…

Instagram is one of the most popular social media apps. Its popularity does not diminish its dangers, however. While witness intimidation is nothing new, the sheer numbers of people who are threatening one another online seem to grow every day. According to reports, multiple Instagram accounts based in Baltimore were deactivated after it was found…

A tragic accident in Alabama took the life of a five-year-old boy. A Russell County Sheriff told CBS News that the boy was forced to exit the car he was riding in on a busy highway as punishment for ‘acting up.’ The child has been identified as Austin Birdseye. He was riding in the car…

In one of the more shocking news stories of the year, teen siblings who found fame on America’s Got Talent were detained, strip searched, and forced to spend a night in a juvenile detention center. The teens, 15 and 13, were arrested by police in Louisiana in November for refusing to leave their father and…

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently released is 2019 hate crimes statistics, and Maryland had 19 hate crime incidents recorded in 2019. Hate crimes are separated into multiple categories based on the type of incident, location, and agency reporting the crimes. The data was provided by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program. The…

On November 17, 2020, Circuit Judge Stacy McCormack ruled that Darius Devon Mackell was not guilty of murder, robbery, and firearms charges stemming from the death of Dontae Simmons in 2018. Judge McCormack absolved Mackell of those charges in part because she did not find the prosecution’s witness credible. Per The Baltimore Sun, Judge McCormack…

In Mid-November, a DEA agent – dressed up like a FedEx driver – dropped off a package of cocaine at home in Baltimore. A woman answered the door and accepted the package, so police started planning to get a search warrant. Before the warrant could come through, The Baltimore Sun reports, police “said a man,…

There is an old trope in film and television about pleading “insanity” to go free from a murder case. In Maryland, claiming that a client is “not criminally responsible” is a tough row to hoe, and it is not used all that often. Which is why the murder case of Tyrique Hudson, and the subsequent…