Defendant, Victim Fought Over Gun after Shooting at Charles Center Metro Station, Prosecutor Says

By Andrew Michaels - May 20, 2023
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

At the opposite end of defendant Draquan Smith’s gun, the victim fought for his life as the two wrestled over the weapon moments after the gun was fired, a Baltimore City prosecutor proclaimed to a jury on May 18.

Smith, 21, reached the conclusion of his jury trial on Thursday, before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeannie Hong. The jury deliberated and returned their verdict that afternoon, finding the defendant guilty of attempted first and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and two weapons charges.

“These were bullets and casings that were meant to kill [the victim] on June 27, 2022,” the prosecutor said as he showed the jury the evidence.

The prosecutor began his closing argument by playing video surveillance footage from the Charles Center Metro Station that showed the victim sitting at the bottom of some stairs next to the escalator shortly before 6 p.m. Minutes later, the victim saw Smith and his friend coming from the top of the escalator and proceeded to walk up the stairs after a brief conversation.

Smith and his friend followed him.

A different video surveillance camera across the way from the metro station’s exit captured some of the defendant and victim’s next movements, with the view slightly obstructed by a wall. The prosecutor asked jurors to pay attention to the window on the left of the TV screen, which he pointed to to show them the exact moment the gun was fired and a bullet struck the window.

Smith and the victim’s fight over the weapon eventually moves into clear view outside and ended when the victim had the gun in his possession and Smith runs way.

“The reality is that Draquan Smith had nothing to do with this,” defense attorney Latoya Francis-Williams argued, alongside Smith’s co-counsel, Sheridan Yeary. “I don’t say this to embarrass anyone, but all black men with braids don’t look alike.”

Francis-Williams questioned why the prosecution did not call the victim to testify, reminding the jury that the victim initially told Baltimore Police that Smith wasn’t the shooter during his taped statement. MTA Police also released a be-on-the-lookout (BOLO) alert to which a Baltimore Police officer responded, saying the individual looked familiar to someone he spoke to the previous month.

“It doesn’t get more plain that that,” Francis-Williams said.