Maryland Law Blog

According to Knoxnews.com, a Maryland man facing a sex crime charge recently committed suicide in a hospital parking lot in Tennessee. Police in Knoxville, TN report that they arrived at the University of Tennessee Medical Center on Alcoa Highway and discovered the man’s body in his vehicle with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. The 53-year-old man, a resident of Walkersville, MD, had been indicted on a sex-abuse charge in Frederick County, but had not yet served with the indictment. Investigators with the Maryland State Police did not provide any further details.

Knoxville authorities are unsure why the 53-year-old came to Tennessee to commit suicide as he had no known ties to East Tennessee.

Any person who faces charges for a sex crime in Maryland may face serious criminal penalties. The penalties for a sex crime conviction can include incarceration, fines, and registry as a Maryland sex offender for a person’s entire life. In addition, a conviction for a sex crime can cause irreparable damage to one’s personal and professional life. Facing such charges on one’s own can be a daunting and overwhelming experience without the help of a knowledgeable attorney.

The Bethesda sex crime defense lawyers with the law firm of Alpert Schreyer have an excellent track record of getting successful results for clients facing sex crime charges, and will work diligently to get you the best possible outcome in your case. Our legal team will ensure your lawful rights are protected. For a no-cost consultation regarding your specific case, please call (866) 444-6363.

A report from The Baltimore Sun shows that members of the Baltimore SWAT team made an arrest in a fatal shooting that occurred on the evening of March 20. Following a report of the shooting, police officers were dispatched to the 1800 block of Ashburton St. at North Ave. where they found the 23-year-old victim face down with multiple gunshot wounds to the arm and body. Members of the SWAT team then began to canvas the area to search for the perpetrator when they saw the now-arrested suspect acting nervously and concealing something in his waistband. According to court documents, the murder suspect discarded the handgun after officers approached him and began to run.

The shooting suspect was later found hiding in a wooded area near a Baker Street railroad bridge. Officers searched the 22-year-old man and found ten Ziploc baggies of marijuana. Homicide detectives who later took control of the investigation say the man confessed to the shooting. This is unfortunately was not the 22-year-old’s first brush with the law; his previous arrests include Maryland carjacking charges in 2010 and a second carjacking charge with kidnapping of a minor in 2011. In both case, the man evaded prison time. The shooting victim did not appear to have any criminal record.

The state of Maryland takes the crime of murder very seriously and anyone facing charges for this crime will undoubtedly face severe penalties, including incarceration. Prosecutors will likely seek the maximum punishment for the crime. In order to protect your future, seeking assistance from a skilled homicide defense attorney in Maryland would be well advised to try and avoid a lengthy prison sentence and other harsh penalties. At the law firm of Alpert Schreyer, our firm has extensive experience defending criminal charges and will work to ensure your lawful rights are protected. Call (866) 444-6363 to schedule a free consultation.

In what some are referring to as a “grime wave,” cases of Tide thefts have skyrocketed in recent months as the detergent has become a valuable bartering tool for drug users, according to TheGrio.com. The popular brand name laundry detergent has become “liquid gold” because of its fairly high cost and desirability, making it attractive for resale on the black market; the laundry soap can retail for as much as $20 a bottle, and a stolen bottle can be resold for $5 to $10. In addition, the detergent is instantly recognizable and doesn’t spoil. Tide is now, as a result, being targeted for organized theft at supermarkets and drug stores across the country.

TheGrio.com reports that stories have been pouring in from across the U.S. of thieves stealing thousands of dollars worth of Tide and engaging in weeks, or even months, of heists before being captured. The criminal act of Tide-swiping is relatively low risk, with few dangers and repercussions. National chains, such as drug store CVS, have attempted to electronically tag the detergent bottles as a theft-deterrent, but ultimately to no avail as robbers (who sometimes work in teams) simply run or drive away with as many bottles as they can take, removing the tags later.

Due to the ailing economy, certain consumers have become more willing to buy stolen goods at cut-rate prices; the National Retail Federation reports that the stealing of basic staples for barter or resale, such as over-the-counter medications or razor blades, has been on the rise and costs stores millions. Losses amounted to more than $3 billion in 2010 alone. Some of the Tide stealers find it profitable to resell the brand name item at steep discounts directly to consumers outside of Laundromats; however, drug dealers are beginning to accept Tide as a form of payment and even smaller retail shops, like corner stores, are also stocking up on the stolen detergent to save big.

Regardless of the item, a theft charge in the state of Maryland is a very serious offense. A person may receive harsh penalties, including incarceration, as a result. To help protect you from excessive penalties, the Waldorf theft defense lawyers of Alpert Schreyer can aid you in building an aggressive defense if you are facing Maryland robbery or theft charges. To discuss your case with a knowledgeable member of our law team, call (866) 444-6363. We offer a free consultation.

According to The Baltimore Sun, a Pasadena man has officially been charged with negligent manslaughter with an automobile for his role in the death of another driver in November, 2011. Police reports indicate the 25-year-old was driving westbound on Route 100 in Glen Burnie at approximately 7:10 p.m. on November 28 when he proceeded to cut off several drivers. The man struck the back left side of a Ford F-150 with his 2005 BMW, then hit the back of the 66-year-old victim’s Nissan Sentra. The Sentra driver, a resident of Fort Washington, was taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center for treatment, but tragically died later as a result of his injuries.

In addition to the charges of negligent manslaughter and reckless driving, the Pasadena man also faces a slew of other Maryland criminal charges, including negligent driving, unsafe lane changing, driving vehicle on highway at speed exceeding limit, and following a vehicle too closely. According to online court records, the man was charged with a number of vehicular offenses for an unrelated crash that happened two months after this fatal accident, including driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). The 25-year-old’s arraignment is scheduled for March 19, with a trial set for June 28 in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court.

Anyone facing manslaughter charges in the state of Maryland can face very serious penalties, including incarceration. The Maryland vehicular homicide attorneys of Alpert Schreyer have years of experience defending clients facing these types of charges and will work diligently to protect your lawful rights, from the arrest through the trial. Our legal team will fight to get you the best possible outcome in your case. For assistance and a complimentary consultation, please call (866) 444-6363.

The Maryland crime of vehicular homicide is committed when a person is killed through the use of a car or other vehicle. Any individual convicted of vehicular homicide will likely face severe penalties, including time in prison, which may be increased depending on the circumstances of the crime. A vehicular homicide occurs when a motor vehicle is the instrument or tool that causes a person’s death, and the term “motor vehicle” generally includes any vehicle designed to transport people and property on public roads. Examples of motor vehicles include:

• Cars;
• SUVs (sport utility vehicles);
• Motorcycles;
• Trucks or buses; or
• Vans and mini-vans.

In general, snowmobiles, skateboards, watercraft, and farm tractors are a few examples of things not considered to be motor vehicles. Vehicular homicide can typically be prosecuted anywhere within the state, even if the crime occurred on public property.

Under Maryland criminal law code, “A person may not cause the death of another as a result of the person's driving, operating, or controlling a vehicle or vessel in a grossly negligent manner.” A person convicted of the crime of vehicular homicide, or vehicular manslaughter, and found guilty of violating this statute will be guilty of committing a felony in Maryland. The penalties for a conviction of grossly negligent vehicular homicide may be imprisonment for a time not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000, or both. For those charged with vehicular homicide while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the fine will be the same, and the maximum potential jail time would be 5 years unless gross negligence is proven.

If you are a Maryland resident facing charges for vehicular homicide, it is imperative you seek help from an experienced Waldorf vehicular homicide lawyer. The legal team at Alpert Schreyer has the experienced needed to provide you with aggressive legal representation and defend you against harsh penalties. For a free consultation regarding your case, call (800) 489-1577.

According to a Washington Post report, a federal judge has ruled that state residents no longer need to show that they have a good reason to carry a handgun outside of their home. This essentially declares a key provision in Maryland’s gun control laws unconstitutional. Maryland residents were required to have a “good and substantial reason” to carry a gun, such as a precaution against apprehended danger, but the U.S. District Judge determined the requirement violated the Second Amendment and was too broad. Under state law, applicants for a carry permit are also required to show that they do not have a history of violence, are not addicted to drugs or alcohol, and have not been convicted of a crime and sentenced to more than a year behind bars; those requirements still stand.

The case centered on a Navy veteran who was denied a handgun permit in 2009. Following a 2002 break-in and attempted robbery in Maryland by the veteran’s son-in-law, who illegally entered into the man’s Baltimore County home high on drugs and searched for the man’s car keys, the man applied for and was granted a permit to carry a handgun. After the son-in-law’s release from prison, he was allowed to renew his permit in 2006, but was denied three years later, prompting the veteran to appeal to Maryland’s Handgun Permit Review Board. The Board ruled that the man did not show a “good and substantial reason” to carry a handgun as a precaution against apprehended danger and the man sued in the summer of 2010.

In a state with some of the country’s tightest gun restrictions, gun rights advocates feel this decision will help them fight similar laws in other states, and a lawyer in the case say it’s a great boost for the right to bear arms. Others believe the decision could be potentially dangerous and will not enhance public safety, saying the important safeguard in the state – deciding whether or not a person has the right to carry a gun in public – has been stripped away. Maryland officials plan on appealing the decision.

Being convicted of a weapons charge in the state of Maryland can carry harsh penalties, though oftentimes those charged did not realize they were breaking the law and simply didn’t understand the state’s regulations. With prosecutors who are very tough on firearms violations, anyone facing this type of charge would be well advised to seek professional legal assistance. The Maryland firearms charges lawyers of Alpert Schreyer have years of experience defending individuals facing a possible firearms conviction and can help defend you against severe penalties. Call (866) 444-6363 for a free consultation.