19-Year-Old Takes Alford Plea For Shooting At Officers

By Caroline Myers [former] - October 6, 2021
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Suspects |

A 19 year old charged with shooting at police officers while they were conducting a search warrant at his residence agreed to take a plea deal without admitting to the crime during reception court on Oct. 6 at Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Derquan Brand, who was 18 at the time of the incident, is charged with attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, firearm use in a felony crime, two counts of reckless endangerment, possession of an assault weapon, unlawful possession of a detachable magazine with a capacity of more than 10 rounds of ammo, possession of a firearm as a minor, and discharging a firearm. 

The plea offer that Brand and his defense attorney Karyn Mariwether accepted, which is called an Alford Plea, stipulates that the defendant is sentenced to 15 years in prison, suspending all but seven, with five years of probation for attempted first-degree murder; seven years, the first five without the possibility of parole, for firearm use in a felony crime; five years for reckless endangerment; and five years for possession of a firearm as a minor. These would all be served concurrently and Brand would also have to register as a gun offender.

Under an Alford Plea, a defendant accepts the conviction of a crime because he believes the prosecution has enough evidence against him that he would likely be found guilty in a trial. But, the defendant does not admit guilt for the crime.

According to the prosecution, a SWAT team was conducting a search warrant at a home on the 2100 block of West Saratoga Street on Nov. 11, 2020. When walking up the stairs of the residence, officers heard a man ask if that was the police. A female voice responded yes. Then, one single shot was fired from a back bedroom and hit the banister of the stairs.

After bringing all of the home’s residents downstairs, including Brand, officers found a .380 caliber shell casing, bullet fragment, and damage to the banister. Officers then searched the back bedroom where Brand and his girlfriend were located. The officers found a .380 caliber gun containing 17 rounds in a purse, an AR-15, a bulletproof vest, and a .45 caliber handgun.