Teen Gets 30 Years in Woodley Park Metro Stabbing

Olijawon Griffin was stabbed and killed last year.

Back in November 2012, I blogged about the murder of Olijawon Griffin at the Woodley Park Metro station:

According to the court documents, a police officer who watched Metro security footage saw Griffin engage one teen in a boxing-style fistfight shortly after 1:15 a.m. and then saw Myers sneak behind Griffin with a knife, stab him in the chest and run.

At the time, I wrote:

Myers "snuck up behind Griffin" which would tend to show deliberation and premeditation, no?

I wondered if Myers was actually culpable for first degree murder rather than second. It turns out I was right:

Myers was indicted on a charge of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and the others were indicted on felony murder. All six were indicted on charges of armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault causing significant bodily injury and weapons offenses for their roles in attacks on Griffin and his friend...

The District of Columbia, like many other jurisdictions, allows for accomplices to be charged with murder when someone dies in the commission of another (usually dangerous felony). So while Myers's accomplices didn't actually kill Griffin (or, for that matter, are even accused of killing him), they are charged with felony murder--as if they did kill him.

The now 18-year old Chavez Myers and his friends, charged as adults, will spend a considerable amount of time in prison.

According to this article in the Washington Post, Myers pled guilty to first degree felony murder, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. The other five accomplices, ages 17 to 20, drew sentences ranging from 15 to 19 years for voluntary manslaughter.

So Myers was indeed convicted of first degree murder, but of the felony murder variety (killing while perpetrating certain crimes, probably robbery) as opposed to the purposeful variety. In the end, the distinction is probably not meaningful--Myers will be in prison for a long time.

Six Teens Indicted For November Metro Station Murder

Back in November, I blogged about the murder of Olijawon Griffin at the Woodley Park Metro station:

According to the court documents, a police officer who watched Metro security footage saw Griffin engage one teen in a boxing-style fistfight shortly after 1:15 a.m. and then saw Myers sneak behind Griffin with a knife, stab him in the chest and run.

At the time, I wrote:

Myers "snuck up behind Griffin" which would tend to show deliberation and premeditation, no?

I wondered if Myers was actually culpable for first degree murder rather than second. It turns out I was right:

Myers was indicted on a charge of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and the others were indicted on felony murder. All six were indicted on charges of armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault causing significant bodily injury and weapons offenses for their roles in attacks on Griffin and his friend...

The District of Columbia, like many other jurisdictions, allows for accomplices to be charged with murder when someone dies in the commission of another (usually dangerous felony). So while Myers's accomplices didn't actually kill Griffin (or, for that matter, are even accused of killing him), they are charged with felony murder--as if they did kill him.

17-year old Chavez Myers and his friends, charged as adults, may spend most of the rest of their lives in prison.

Metro murder: first or second degree?

Chavez Tyrek Myers is a 17-year-old from District Heights charged as an adult with second-degree murder while armed:

Court documents allege that he snuck up behind Griffin during a fight at the Metro station and plunged a knife into his chest.

I thought this was maybe a bit questionable--it seems like this could potentially be a first degree murder, not second? Here's the DC statute for first degree murder (emphasis in bold is mine):

§ 22-2401. Murder in the first degree - Purposeful killing; killing while perpetrating certain crimes.
 Whoever, being of sound memory and discretion, kills another purposely, either of deliberate and premeditated malice or by means of poison, or in perpetrating or attempting to perpetrate an offense punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary, or without purpose to do so kills another in perpetrating or in attempting to perpetrate any arson, as defined in § 22-401 or § 22-402, first degree sexual abuse, first degree child sexual abuse, first degree cruelty to children, mayhem, robbery, or kidnaping, or in perpetrating or attempting to perpetrate any housebreaking while armed with or using a dangerous weapon, or in perpetrating or attempting to perpetrate a felony involving a controlled substance, is guilty of murder in the first degree. For purposes of imprisonment following revocation of release authorized by § 24-203.1(b)(7), murder in the first degree is a Class A felony.

Now here is the statute for second degree murder:

§ 22-2403. Murder in the second degree.
Whoever with malice aforethought, except as provided in §§ 22-2401, 22-2402, kills another, is guilty of murder in the second degree. For purposes of imprisonment following revocation of release authorized by § 24-203.1(b)(7), murder in the second degree is a Class A felony.

Myers "snuck up behind Griffin" which would tend to show deliberation and premeditation, no? Maybe the issue here is "kills another purposely" (first degree) vs. "kills another" (second degree). It's difficult to understand the distinction here, but it seems that perhaps the prosecutors doubt their ability to prove that Myers actually intended to kill Griffin, rather than just intent to inflict a serious bodily injury that resulted in Griffin's death.

Man faces attempted murder, assault charges in Pasadena stabbing

From the Baltimore Sun:

A 29-year-old Pasadena man faces attempted first-degree murder and assault charges after Anne Arundel County police said he and another man fought Sunday inside a home they share near Rock Creek Park.

According to police, officers were called about 4:30 that afternoon to the residence on the first block of Bar Harbor Road, where they found Robert Lee Still, 55, suffering from non-life-threatening stab wounds. Still told officers he and Jesse Lee Allgaier had an argument that turned physical when Allgaier attacked him with a knife and stabbed him in the upper body, then fled.

Still was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for treatment.

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One of two sisters accused in killing of man enters Alford plea

From the Baltimore Sun:

A Laurel supermarket clerk accused, along with her sister, of killing a man who prosecutors say owed her money for drugs entered a plea to second-degree murder Tuesday that will get her between eight and 10 years in prison.

Patrice Rashah Dove, 22, cried as she entered an Alford plea before Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge William Mulford II, meaning she did not admit to killing Jamal Medina, 22, of Laurel on Dec. 21, 2009, at the Maryland City Plaza Shopping Center, but acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence against her for a conviction.

Dove's sister, Latisha Montia Adams, 23, fatally stabbed Medina, Anne Arundel County Assistant State's Attorney Brian Marsh told Mulford.

Anne Arundel judge sanctions prosecutors in murder case

From the Baltimore Sun:

A judge has ruled that prosecutors violated court rules by withholding witness information from defense lawyers in a pending murder trial of a jockey.

Judge Ronald A. Silkworth told prosecutors that they cannot call at least one, and possibly a second, jailhouse snitch to testify against Francis Eugene Adams because they did not turn over information about one witness for more than five months, and kept information on the other for nearly a month. Silkworth issued his opinion Wednesday afternoon in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court.

A good example of how prosecutors withholding information can potentially damage the case in a murder trial.

Anne Arundel police say man admitted to fatal stabbing outside McDonald's

The Baltimore Sun has more information on the stabbing in the McDonald's parking lot of the Cromwell Field Shopping Center in Glen Burnie here.

Pizza Delivery Man Robbed, Murdered In Severn

CBS Baltimore has more details on the stabbing in Meade Village here.

Police investigate two Anne Arundel County homicides

From the Baltimore Sun:

Anne Arundel County police are investigating two homicides — one outside a Glen Burnie shopping center and another in a Severn neighborhood Saturday night.

Officers were called at about 6:40 p.m. to a parking lot of the Cromwell Field Shopping Center in the 7300 block of Baltimore Annapolis Blvd., where two men had been fighting, resulting in one being stabbed, police said. [Note: this is directly across the street from the Cromwell/Glen Burnie Light Rail stop]

The suspect was detained at the scene, police said, and taken into custody. The victim was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he died.

His identity is being withheld pending family notification.

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About half an hour later, at about 7:15 p.m., police responded to the 1800 block of Meade Village Circle, where they found a 46-year-old injured man. Police said he suffered trauma and was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where died.

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Police are investigating both deaths as homicides but did not release additional details.

Anyone with information is asked to call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

Stabbing and Attempted Robbery in Glen Burnie

According to the Anne Arundel County Police (link forthcoming):

On November 18, 2010, at approximately 3:21 p.m., officers from the Northern District responded to Baltimore Washington Medical Center for a reported stabbing and attempt robbery that occurred earlier at another location. 

            Upon arrival, officers spoke with the 50-year-old male victim from Glen Burnie, who advised that he was assaulted by three unknown suspects as he was walking near the Discount Cigarette located in the 7900 block of B&A Boulevard in Glen Burnie. The suspects approached the victim and asked him for money, but the victim relayed that he didn’t have any money. At that time, the suspects responded by pushing the victim. One of the suspects brandished a knife, swung it at the victim and struck him multiple times in the abdomen area. The suspects then fled on foot toward Albert Drive. The victim suffered minor lacerations from the incident. Several officers responded to the area to search for the suspects, but were unable to locate them. 

Suspect #1: Black male, approximately 17-19 years old, 5’10” with a medium build and braided hair, last seen wearing a black shirt, a black jacket, black jeans and white shoes

Suspect #2: Black male, approximately 17-19 years old, 5’7” with a medium build, last seen wearing a green shirt, a black jacket, black pants and white shoes

Suspect #3: Black male, approximately 17-19 years old, 5’7” with a heavy build, last seen wearing a white jacket, a black shirt, black jeans and black shoes

Andrew had almost the exact same thing happen to him at the same location a few weeks before he died; he wasn't stabbed but the assailants did have a knife.  Here is a look at the scene:



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Three charged in Arundel Mills stabbing

Deandre Simms of Columbia
(Photo provided by AA County Police)

Keyo Allen of Columbia
(Photo provided by AA County Police)

From the Baltimore Sun:

Police have made three arrests in the Saturday night stabbing of an 18-year-old in the Arundel Mills Mall.

Anne Arundel County Police arrested two males they identified as Keyo Marlo Allen, 17, and Deandre Jamar Simms, 20, both of Columbia, and a third person identified only as a juvenile.

Allen was charged with first-degree assault and reckless endangerment. All three were also charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.

The stabbing occurred at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the mall's food court, police said. Officers on foot patrol in the mall found the victim with a stab wound in the back. He told police he had been stabbed by someone unknown to him.

He was taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was treated and later released, police said.

This is an update to the post here.

Stabbing at Arundel Mills Mall

The food court at the "family-friendly" Arundel Mills Mall was the site of a stabbing on Saturday night, according to FOX45 Baltimore:

A man is recovering in Shock Trauma after being stabbed at Arundel Mills mall.

Anne Arundel County police say the man was stabbed in the back near the mall's food court at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday during an argument.

He was taken to Shock Trauma, where he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries.

No arrests have been made.

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Stabbing in Cherry Hill

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19-year-old in serious condition after shooting; two others hurt in separate incidents

A busy day for the BPD.

From the Baltimore Sun:

One man was seriously hurt in two separate shootings Wednesday night, police said, and another was hurt early Thursday in the second reported Midtown-Belvedere stabbing this week.

In the most serious shooting, a 19-year-old man was attacked after he walked by two men in the 5100 block of Belair Road at about 9:31 p.m., according to preliminary reports.

According to police, one of the two men grabbed the 19-year-old and choked him. After they went through his pockets, one of the men shot him in the left hip and stomach and the two fled the scene, police said.

The injured man, who was first taken to a local hospital but was later taken to another facility for treatment, remained in serious but stable condition, officials said.

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Also:

At 9:08 p.m., a man was shot in his side at the intersection of N. Decker Street and E. Preston Street in East Baltimore's Berea neighborhood, police said.

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Lastly:

And at 1:33 p.m., an officer found a victim in the 900 block of N. Park Avenue in the Midtown-Belvedere neighborhood who had been cut with a knife. The officer summoned medical assistance, police said.

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Re: Man stabbed in robbery on St. Paul Street

According to WBAL-TV, the three teens (ages 14, 14 and 16) arrested in the stabbing on St. Paul Street were charged as adults with attempted first-degree murder.  The article also revised the location to the middle of the University of Baltimore law school complex near the corner of Oliver Street and Maryland Avenue.


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