Defendant Accused of Shooting Girlfriend Rejects Plea Offer

By Ting Hong [former] - January 24, 2023
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Jan. 23, a defendant rejected a plea for an attempted murder that occurred in May of 2022 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn. 

During Monday’s reception court proceedings, the prosecution offered the defendant Dajuan Smith a plea of life, suspending all but 20 years with five years of supervised probation for two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and a concurrent 20 years, suspending all but ten years with five years of supervised probation and five years without parole for the use of a firearm in a felony violent crime. 

Smith, 24, who is represented by stand-in attorney Nicholas Meriwether on behalf of Martin Cohen, rejected the plea offered to him by the prosecution. 

Judge Phinn scheduled a trial date for the defendant to take place on May 22, with Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Nicole K. Barmore presiding. The trial is expected to last four days. 

According to court documents, on May 30, 2022, officers were called to the 5000 block of York Road for reports of discharging at a Marathon gas station. With the use of a Facial Recognition Report, investigators were able to identify Smith as the suspected shooter.

Smith is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, use of a firearm in a felony violent crime, discharging a firearm, and three counts of reckless endangerment in connection to the shooting.