Shooting Suspect Claims She was Attempted Rape Victim

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Defense attorney Martin Cohen argued before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeannie J. Hong, on Dec. 14, that his client shot a 78-year old man in self-defense when he attempted to rape her.

Marika Crawford, a 28-year-old Fort Washington resident, is charged with attempted first- and second-degree murder, armed robbery, robbery, first- and second-degree assault, firearm use in a felony violent crime, reckless endangerment, theft valued between $100 and $1,500, having a loaded handgun on her person, having a handgun on her person, having a loaded handgun in a vehicle, having a handgun in a vehicle and discharging firearms in connection to an incident that occurred on July 20, 2022.

Both parties agree that Crawford mowed the victim’s lawn for $50 and entered his house on the 1200 block of East Lanvale Street to use the upstairs bathroom. They also agreed that she shot him in the face while he was on the living room couch after she came back downstairs and later fled to Memphis, where her family lives.

Crawford said the shooting victim sexually assaulted and started to choke her after she laid down on the couch. She claims she shot him in self-defense when she started to black out.

In closing statements, Cohen argued self-defense was the primary issue, and therefore the testimony of the defendant and victim was what mattered, and the prosecution was trying to “get the sympathy [vote]” by bringing in unrelated witnesses and evidence to show the victim’s suffering.

He asked why Crawford would rob the victim of $1,000, when she had a full-time job and owned her own business.

Cohen also stated that, during testimony, the prosecution had to continuously lead the victim–the victim thought he had $100 on him when he had over $1,000.

The prosecution’s position was Crawford saw the victim’s wad of cash when he paid her, then went to get her gun, threatened him for the money and shot him as he was sitting on the couch after he refused to hand it over.

The prosecutor argued that the physical evidence backed up this version of events. She showed pictures of the blood stains from where the victim was unable to call for help. These stains were far away from the couch, indicating that the victim was sitting on the couch and fell forward, instead of lying on the couch and rolling off.

The trajectory of the wound indicated that the shot was aimed downward and not upward. The prosecution demonstrated it would be difficult for a person in the position Crawford described to shoot their assailant at a downward angle.

The prosecutor stated that the doors to the outside of the house were open and asked why the victim, who had an eye surgery the same day, would sexually assault someone when anyone outside could hear.

She also asked why the victim didn’t follow Crawford upstairs if he was planning to assault her.