Judge Releases Non-Fatal Shooting Defendant to Complete Addiction Treatment

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A 43-year-old Baltimore man accused of firing a gun in the air in September was released on his own recognizance on Nov. 7 and ordered to complete an addiction treatment program in Eldersburg, Maryland.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer presided over Tuesday’s bail review hearing when defense attorney David Fischer advocated for the release of his client, Michael Donovan. The defendant has been incarcerated for the past 44 days for allegedly firing a handgun in the air on Sept. 24.

In addition to discharging a firearm within Baltimore City, Donovan is also charged with having a handgun on his person and in a vehicle and having a loaded handgun on his person.

According to the allegations, Donovan fired the gun in the air multiple times; however, his defense attorney said only one shell casing was recovered from the scene. Furthermore, the defendant’s involvement “appears to be a misidentification from a witness,” Fischer noted.

Defense counsel requested his client be released to his parents who will admit him to Maryland’s Right Turn IMPACT Recovery Center to complete an addiction treatment program.

Despite the prosecution’s objection, Judge Schiffer agreed to release Donovan on pre-trial supervision given his admission to the program.

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