Facing a violent crime charge in Maryland is one of the most serious situations a person can encounter in the criminal justice system. These charges — murder, manslaughter, assault, robbery, kidnapping, rape — carry potential sentences measured in decades, and a conviction affects every part of your life long after you leave the courtroom. If you or someone you love has been charged with a violent felony in Southern Maryland, you need experienced defense counsel immediately.
At SoMD Criminal Defense, our partner Jeremy Widder spent nearly a decade as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Charles County, where he prosecuted homicides, shootings, armed robberies, and other serious violent crimes. He has tried more than 60 jury trials. He knows how the State builds these cases — and he knows how to take them apart. Call (301) 818-0389 for a free consultation today.
Violent Crime Charges We Defend
We represent clients charged with the full range of violent felonies in Maryland, including:
- First-degree murder and second-degree murder
- Voluntary and involuntary manslaughter
- Vehicular manslaughter
- First-degree assault and second-degree assault
- Armed robbery and robbery
- Kidnapping and false imprisonment
- Carjacking and armed carjacking
- Child abuse
- Attempted murder and attempted assault
In Maryland, violent felonies carry severe penalties that vary based on the severity of the offense, the use of a weapon, the status of the victim, and the defendant’s prior criminal history. Many violent offenses carry mandatory minimum sentences, which limits judicial discretion at sentencing. Getting the right attorney involved early is critical to managing all possible outcomes.
What Makes Violent Crime Defense Different
Violent crime cases are often built on physical evidence, eyewitness testimony, and forensic analysis — all of which can be challenged. Police investigations are not perfect, and prosecutors are not always careful. We have seen cases where forensic evidence was mishandled, eyewitnesses were unreliable, and the timeline of events was reconstructed in ways that did not hold up to scrutiny.
Every violent crime defense begins with a thorough, independent investigation of the facts. We review police reports, body camera footage, surveillance video, cell phone records, autopsy reports, and any other evidence the State intends to use. We work with investigators and, when appropriate, expert witnesses to identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case before trial.
Common Defenses to Violent Crime Charges in Maryland
The defense strategy in a violent crime case depends entirely on the facts. No two cases are alike, and we do not apply a template to serious charges. That said, some of the most effective defenses in Maryland violent crime cases include:
Self-Defense and Defense of Others
Maryland law permits the use of force to protect yourself or another person when you reasonably believe force is necessary to prevent imminent bodily harm. The force used must be proportionate to the threat. If you acted in self-defense, we will present that case clearly to the jury — using the evidence that shows you were responding to a genuine threat, not initiating violence.
Lack of Intent
Most violent crime charges require the State to prove criminal intent. If the act was accidental, if you lacked the mental capacity to form intent, or if the evidence does not support the State’s theory of what happened, we challenge the intent element directly. This can mean the difference between a first-degree murder charge and a manslaughter charge — or between conviction and acquittal.
Misidentification
Eyewitness identification is one of the most notoriously unreliable forms of evidence in the criminal justice system. Police lineups, photo arrays, and witness descriptions are subject to suggestive procedures, memory distortion, and cross-racial identification errors. When the case against you rests on someone saying they saw you, we scrutinize every aspect of how that identification was made.
Constitutional Violations
If police conducted an illegal search, obtained a confession through coercion, or violated your Fourth or Fifth Amendment rights, any evidence gathered as a result may be suppressed. Suppression of key evidence can fundamentally change the trajectory of a case — sometimes resulting in dismissal. We file suppression motions aggressively when the facts support it.
The Stakes of a Violent Crime Conviction in Maryland
A violent felony conviction in Maryland carries consequences that extend well beyond the prison sentence. These collateral consequences include permanent loss of the right to vote and own firearms, difficulty obtaining housing and employment, loss of professional licenses, immigration consequences for non-citizens, and the lifetime social stigma of a violent criminal record.
For clients facing first-degree murder or other charges that carry the possibility of life imprisonment, the stakes could not be higher. We treat every violent felony case with the seriousness it deserves — thorough preparation, independent investigation, and a defense strategy built specifically around your case and your goals.
Why Choose SoMD Criminal Defense for Your Violent Crime Case
Former prosecutor insight. Jeremy Widder tried violent felony cases as a Charles County prosecutor for nearly a decade. He knows how the State prioritizes, investigates, and argues these cases — and where they are vulnerable.
Serious trial experience. We are not a firm that settles every case. When trial is the right path, we are prepared to fight — and our record in Charles County and across Southern Maryland reflects that.
Individual attention. We keep our caseload manageable so every client gets the time and focus their case requires. Violent crime charges are too serious for a rushed, high-volume approach.
We know the local courts. We practice daily in the District and Circuit Courts of Charles, Prince George’s, Calvert, and St. Mary’s Counties. We know the prosecutors and the judges who handle violent felony cases in each jurisdiction.
Contact a Southern Maryland Violent Crime Defense Attorney
If you or a family member has been charged with a violent crime in Southern Maryland, do not wait. The earlier we are involved, the more we can do to protect your rights, gather evidence, and build a defense strategy before the State has time to solidify its case against you.
