Maryland
Maryland high court upholds conviction in officer’s killing
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland’s highest court docket has upheld the homicide conviction and life sentence for a person who was 16 years outdated when he fatally struck a Baltimore County police officer with a automobile.
The Maryland Court docket of Appeals rejected protection attorneys’ argument that it was unconstitutional to condemn Dawnta Harris to life in jail as a result of he was a minor when he killed the officer in 2018. The court docket dominated on Wednesday that Harris’ age was correctly thought of when a choose sentenced him to life in jail with the opportunity of parole.
The Baltimore Solar reviews that Harris, now 20, was driving a stolen Jeep when Baltimore County Police Officer Amy Caprio blocked its path along with her patrol automobile and ordered him to cease. She fired her weapon as soon as earlier than he struck her with the automobile.
Harris and three different youngsters had been burglarizing houses earlier than the confrontation.
Protection lawyer Megan Coleman argued that Harris had been too younger to “admire the dangers and penalties” of his actions.
In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court docket dominated that obligatory life sentences with out parole had been unconstitutional for kids convicted of homicides The Maryland appeals court docket stated that ruling didn’t apply in Harris’ case since he might be eligible for parole after 15 years.