On August 21, 2014, a jury found Marcus Lamar Black guilty of three counts of First Degree Assault, three counts of Second Degree Assault, and three counts of Reckless Endangerment. Mr. Black was acquitted of three counts of Attempted Murder in the First Degree and three counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree. The jury, after four days of testimony and argument, deliberated for close to five hours before rendering a verdict.

The convictions stem from an incident that occurred on August 29, 2013 at 433 Grasonville Cemetery Road in Grasonville where it is alleged that in the late evening, Mr. Black opened fire into a small crowd with a shotgun. There were three blasts from the shotgun which struck and injured Jemale Austin Johnson, Brian Lebar Taylor, and Derrick L. Parker. All three individuals were treated at Shock Trauma and will continue to be treated for long-term injuries.

The Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff led a several-month investigation of this shooting. After numerous interviews with witnesses and the collection of evidence, it was determined that Marcus Lamar Black, 20 years old and formerly of Stevensville, MD, was the shooter. Witnesses placed Mr. Black in the area of the shooting with a shotgun, wearing a ski type mask and blue latex gloves. Detectives later located a pair of blue latex gloves in a wooded area near the shooting that were subsequently tested by the Maryland State Police Forensics Lab. The gloves contained the DNA of Mr. Black.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy State’s Attorney Christine Dulla Rickard and State’s Attorney Lance G. Richardson. Mr. Black will be sentenced on October 17, 2014. He is facing 75 years in prison. Currently, Mr. Black is serving a five year sentence at the Eastern Correctional Institute for an unrelated Reckless Endangerment Conviction.