Defendant Was Misidentified in 2022 Attempted Murder at Charles Center Metro Station, Defense Argues

By Andrew Michaels - May 16, 2023
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

In defense of Draquan Smith, attorney Latoya Francis-Williams proclaimed to a jury on May 16 that no one involved in the attempted murder at Charles Center Metro Station in June 2022 will be seen or heard at the 21-year-old’s trial. Instead, the jury will be trying Smith after he was misidentified as the alleged shooter.

The Baltimore resident’s trial began Tuesday morning before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeannie Hong. Along with the attempted murder charge, he also faces assault, reckless endangerment, and weapons charges for the June 27, 2022 incident.

“This is the quintessential example of the [prosecution] going to throw a bunch of stuff up and see what sticks,” said Francis-Williams, alongside co-counsel Sheridan Yeary.

During the prosecutior’s opening statement, he explained that Smith and his friend were at the metro station where the defendant and a third man, identified as the victim, were arguing at the bottom of an escalator. When the victim walked away and up the stairs, the two men followed him and Smith allegedly took out a gun. Smith and the victim struggled over the gun, during which the defendant was smacked in the face.

At some point, the prosecutor said, the gun was fired, but no one was injured. Baltimore Police found shell casings and broken glass at the scene, and the jury is expected to see photo and video evidence.

“The question is was there an attempt to kill?” the prosecutor said, adding that the evidence will provide jurors with the answer.

The only fact counsel will agree on is that something happened that day, Francis-Williams argued, saying that during a photo array with the victim, he did not identify the defendant, only to be told by police to review the photos once more.

“Don’t be fooled by the volume of stuff thrown at you,” she said. “I submit to you that when you see the aha moment, you’ll want to get out of here too.”

The prosecution called a Baltimore Police sergeant as the first witness, with testimony slated to continue on May 17. The trial is expected to last for four days.