Judge Delays Trial Because Defendant Needs Surgery

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On Dec. 7, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer set the trial date for defendant Tavon Lawson who needs surgery.

Lawson, 42, was facing two separate cases. In one case, he was charged with possession of narcotics with intent to manufacture or distribute and possession of non-cannabis drugs. These charges would be dropped pending the plea offer in favor of the case where he is charged with two counts of firearm possession with a felony conviction, having a handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun on his person and discharging a firearm in Baltimore City.

Lawson and his defense attorney, Amanda Savage, rejected a plea offer from the assistant state’s attorney for both cases, which included a nolle pros decision not to prosecute on the drug charges and 15 years, suspending all but five years without the possibility of parole, three years of probation and gun offender registration.

Savage told the court that Lawson is having surgery at the end of the month and will undergo physical therapy for a couple of months. Lawson wanted to push the trial date back so he could recover. As a result, Judge Schiffer scheduled his trial for March 5, 2024. Judge Barry G. Williams will oversee the proceedings.

According to documents from the District Court of Maryland, Lawson is charged in connection to an incident that occurred on Dec. 29, 2022, on the 1200 block of West North Avenue, in which he allegedly shot three victims. Lawson was identified as a suspect by one of the victims and security camera footage.

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