Assault and robbery charges dropped against Baltimore man

A couple of days made a lot of difference for a 23-year-old Baltimore man who wound up in the criminal justice system. He was arrested last week for suspicion of armed robbery and more but had the various charges dismissed when questions of sufficient evidence arose.

According to The Baltimore Sun, the suspect was charged last Wednesday with armed robbery, attempted second-degree murder, first degree assault and reckless endangerment. A mere two days later, which may have felt long for him while in jail, the tables had turned — at least temporarily.

After his arrest last Wednesday, the suspect was kept in custody and a judge set his bail at a relatively high $1 million. The crime at the center of the case is a serious one that took place in June at a KFC. A woman working at the restaurant was stabbed, and a “confidential informant” reportedly identified this suspect to police.

The informant’s report, however, was not enough for the judge in this case to keep the suspect locked up or for the various charges to stick. On Friday, the suspect was released from jail and freed of the criminal charges related to the armed robbery.

The defense argued that there was currently not sufficient evidence to keep and charge the suspect. He didn’t match the description that police gave of the suspected armed robber, and he had been extremely compliant with the investigation, offering his DNA sample and to submit to a polygraph test.

For now, the charges are dismissed, but that does not mean that the same man can’t be charged with the same crimes down the road. Officials are still investigating the incident and could use new evidence as reason to charge him again. An experienced criminal defense attorney can keep this suspect informed of the process.

Source

The Baltimore Sun: “Baltimore man charged in Harford robbery freed, charges dismissed,” Kayla Bawroski, Jan. 31, 2012