Defendant Pleads Guilty to 2022 Murder, Family Grieves

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Jamal Smith, 33, pleaded guilty on June 20 to his involvement in a 2022 shooting that killed Ryan Harris, 25, and wounded two other victims. Smith was arrested last January after over a year of evading law enforcement.

Several of Harris’ relatives and loved ones delivered statements before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John A. Howard, describing the destructive impact his loss has had on their lives. One emphasized that the lives of his children, immediate family, and church community were shattered.

In exchange for pleading guilty to second-degree murder and felony firearm use in a violent crime, Judge Howard sentenced Smith to 25 years, followed by five years of supervised probation. At the request of defense attorney John E. Cox, Smith was also recommended for the Second Chance program, which aims to reduce recidivism rates by providing criminal offenders with support such as employment assistance and substance abuse treatment.

Before delivering Smith’s sentence, Judge Howard stated that “In all the years I’ve been a judge, I don’t think I’ve heard a more poignant description of loss provided by the Harris family on the streets of Baltimore by violence.”