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Local Cops Under Investigation for Kidnapping, Assaulting Teen

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Memorial Day weekend is often a busy time for law enforcement—people are out in droves celebrating and enjoying the warmer weather. But the weekend turned traumatic for at least one Prince George’s County teen, who was leaving a party with two friends when he was assaulted and kidnapped.

According to MyFoxDC.com, three teens were at an afternoon barbeque that lasted into the night. They were eventually asked to leave after the homeowner accused them of stealing something, an accusation they deny. As they were wandering around the neighborhood, two on bikes and one on foot, they were approached by two men.

It isn’t clear if the men identified themselves, but the teens didn’t seem to know they were dealing with off-duty police officers. Why the officers stopped them is another “unknown.”

One of the teens took off, leaving the other two at the mercy of the men.

A witness described what he saw:

“Approaching the roundabout in Charles Crossing, I noticed a large Caucasian male chasing a younger black male and when I came around the roundabout I saw the officer–I didn’t know he was an officer, but he was pounding on top of the victim.”

The two teens were cuffed. One managed to slip out of the cuffs and get away. The other was put in the back of the officers’ car and driven away from the neighborhood.

The teen, who the report refers to as J.L., was rightfully scared, not knowing where they were taking him or what would be done. After all, as the officers approached him on the street, they threatened to “shoot you in the back” if he didn’t stop where he was.

“I had to just sit back there and ride, I didn’t know if I was ever going to see my parents again. I didn’t know if I was going to die or live another day.”

The cops told the teen he would know “get the worst of it,” since his friends had escaped. They drove him to a gravel road and instructed him to stand with his chin against a fence while counting to 100. His cuffs were removed and the cops drove off while he was counting.

“I was afraid they would shoot or taze me there was just so much stuff going through my head,”

Could anyone blame him for being so frightened?

Not all police officers are ruthless and not all have bad enough judgment to kidnap a teen, threaten them with death, and abandon them on a gravel road. But when any officer thinks this is proper procedure or simply their off-duty- duty for keeping the neighborhood in check, we have a problem.

Police don’t normally mistreat people in such a brazen manner, though it does happen. Whether you were wrongfully arrested or if you just have questions about the charges being levied against you, we may be able to help.

Contact our offices today to discuss your case and what options are available to you. A local defense attorney is your advocate when it feels like no one in the system is on your side.

Tis the Season For Increased Thefts?

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It’s holiday time and as Peter Herman with the Baltimore Sun reports, it’s time for law enforcement to start issuing mass warnings about everything from locking your bags in your trunk to leaving your lights on at home when you leave the house. But is there really a peak in theft related crimes over the holidays or is this just a fallacy?
Interestingly, despite the belief that everything from theft to domestic violence peak over the holidays, the statistics tell another story.
With regard to car break-ins, one of those offenses we commonly hear the news and police agencies warning about, there were 57 such crimes in 2009 over a week’s time period including the busiest shopping day of the year—Black Friday. In August of that same year, there were 178 of those break-ins.
Similarly, domestic violence crimes are thought to rise over the holidays when stress is high and finances are often stretched thin. But, according to the Md. Network Against Domestic Violence, November and December 2009 were the two months with the lowest domestic violence complaints.
Despite the numbers telling a different story, the police will likely continue to send out their holiday warnings, with local news stations doing the same sort of thing. Keep your shopping bags in your trunk, never leave your house dark when out of town, and remember to be vigilant on the crowded roadways!
One criminologist states that larcenies do spike over the December month, however, leaving some questions about the trend and the warnings. Also, the roadways do seem to become deadlier as the number of people traveling increases.
With such conflicting data and opinions, maybe the police are right—better safe than sorry. And if you are one of those people who stands on the other side of the law, accused of committing holiday thefts or even being charged with a DUI after a holiday party, know a criminal defense attorney can help.
Whether you are facing reckless driving charges or assault—contact us today for a free consultation on your case.

Maryland Theft Charges Dropped Due to Officer No Show

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This article from the Baltimore Sun details one way in which criminal court cases get dropped on what many people refer to as “a technicality”. Everyone was there except the arresting officer, resulting in numerous criminal charges against Walter Grant being dropped.

Oftentimes the case against a criminal defendant rests solely on the report written by the arresting officer. The attorneys must be able to call this officer as a witness and when they are not, the charges get dropped.

The article details how things like this happen and it basically boils down to a complicated system with several parts not working optimally. Several parties involved were quick to point the finger at why this happened or who should be responsible, but it seemed as if no one had a solution.

For Walter Grant, the bureaucracy worked in his favor. Once facing charges of possessing stolen vehicle, Grant, a convicted felon, walked away from that court date as if nothing had happened.

While cases like this do happen, when you are facing criminal charges you cannot depend on it. You have to be ready to defend your case and hope for the best.

Theft charges like those Grant was facing come with fairly stringent sentences and one would be mistaken to assume they might get charges dropped “on a technicality”. This is where having an experienced defense attorney comes in.

As your defense attorneys, we plan for all possibilities. Our experienced defense lawyers will examine your case from the moment of your arrest to the present, ensuring the police acted in accordance with the laws and procedures designed to protect your rights.

Next, together, we will come up with a plan. That plan might include possible defense strategies and the possibility of reaching a plea bargain with the prosecution. Throughout this process we will act as your advocate, providing you with sound legal advice while being open to your input.

If you are facing criminal charges in Maryland, whether they are related to drugs, theft, DUI, or assault, we can help. Contact us today to discuss the details of your case.