Mistrial Declared After questions about Suspect’s Identity

By Jordan Fine - December 20, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting |

A mistrial was declared on Dec. 20, 2023, after the jury failed to reach a verdict for attempted murder defendant Draquan Smith. 

Smith, 22, is being tried on two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of firearm usage in a felony violent crime in connection to the death of 20-year-old Joshua Camara. He now faces a retrial in late March due to a hung jury.

During the conclusion of the jury trial in front of Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy, the prosecutor argued: “These were bullets and casings that were meant to kill” in response to video surveillance footage of Smith with the victim.

However, the defense argued Smith was misidentified. 

“I don’t say this to embarrass anyone, but all black men with braids don’t look alike,” defense attorney Latoya Francis-Williams said in her closing arguments. During a photo lineup, Smith was not identified by the victim, leading to questionable evidence deadlocking the jury and leading to the mistrial.

The prosecution explained that Smith was seen with his friends at The Charles Center Metro Station in June 2022 when a fight broke out at the bottom of an escalator. The victim walked up the stairs as Smith followed and allegedly took out a gun. Surveillance footage showed a struggle for the gun when it was fired, shattering a window. 

Smith is set to reappear in court on March 15 for a motions hearing before Judge Philip S. Jackson.