Press Releases

FREDERICK, MD – Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office Juvenile Division Chief Laura Wilt was appointed for three years to Governor Hogan’s Juvenile Grant Planning and Review Council. The Council is Maryland’s State Advisory Group to fulfill guidelines laid out in the Federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) of 1974. The Council falls under the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP).

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith commented, “our juvenile justice system plays an underappreciated and critical role in crime reduction and the public safety of our communities.  Funding is not only essential, but it is smart fiscal policy.  I can’t help but once again tout the leadership of this Office on important statewide issues, and congratulate Laura Wilt on her appointment by the Governor.”

Members of the Council must have training, experience, or special knowledge concerning adolescent development, the prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency, the administration of juvenile justice, and the reduction of juvenile delinquency.  The Governor must appoint a minimum of 15 professionals to the Council, and a maximum of 33.

As part of the Council, Ms. Wilt will take on key objectives including work on aftercare and reentry, juvenile justice system improvement, delinquency prevention, and community-based programs and services. The focus will continue to be on community-based programs that prepare targeted youth to successfully return to their homes and communities after confinement in a training school, youth correctional facility, or other secure institution. These programs focus on preparing youth for release and providing a continuum of follow-up, post-placement services to promote successful reintegration into the community. The Council also addresses programs, research, or other initiatives to examine issues or improve practices, policies, or procedures on a system-wide basis (e.g. examining problems affecting decisions from arrest to disposition and detention to corrections). Delinquency prevention is targeted through programs that meet the needs of youth through collaboration of the many local systems before which a youth may appear, including schools, courts, law enforcement agencies, child protection agencies, mental health agencies, welfare services, health care agencies, and private nonprofit agencies offering youth services.

Laura Wilt

Juvenile Division Chief,

Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office

Frederick, MD – This morning in Frederick County Circuit Court, a 16-year-old Respondent faced a disposition hearing after pleading guilty to 2^nd Degree Assault in July in connection with the September 2019 attack of John Weed at the Great Frederick Fair. The disposition hearing was closed to the public by order of Judge Julie Solt at the request of the defense. As in all juvenile proceedings, the Judge has the discretion to close the courtroom. The State and victim’s family asked that the Respondent be committed and placed in a juvenile treatment program.  Today, Judge Solt ordered that the Respondent be placed on probation with conditions including anger management.   The Judge scheduled a further disposition hearing this Fall during which he could be removed from the community and placed in a juvenile facility at that time if he is not compliant.

On the evening of September 20^th, 2019, John Weed was enjoying a family night at the fair when he was approached by the 16-year-old juvenile male, his 15-year-old brother, and a couple of their friends.  The 15-year-old teen and another youth asked Mr. Weed for money.  Mr. Weed said “no”.  The youth kept pursuing Mr. Weed, despite family members begging the youth to leave him alone. The respondent pursued the victim, punching him in the back of the head. As Mr. Weed squared up with the respondent, his 15-year-old brother came running from a distance and punched Mr. Weed with such force that photos indicated he likely lost consciousness almost immediately. As Mr. Weed laid unconscious on the ground, the respondent spat on him. Mr. Weed ultimately died of his injuries the next day at Shock Trauma in Baltimore.

The 15-year-old co-respondent in this case pled guilty to manslaughter on April 29, 2020. On May 15^th, Judge William R. Nicklas Jr. followed the State’s recommendation that the respondent be placed in a long-term behavioral modification program.

The family of John Weed attended this morning’s hearing. They have appeared regularly for all of the hearings since the teens arrest in September 2019. Weed’s family supported placement in an appropriate juvenile treatment program for both respondents.

The State was represented by Chief Assistant State’s Attorneys Laura Wilt and Rebecca Clinton.

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Frederick, MD – This morning in Frederick County Circuit Court, a 16-year-old respondent pled guilty to one count of 2^nd Degree Assault in connection with the September 2019 attack of John Weed at the Great Frederick Fair. Judge Julie Stevenson Solt scheduled the Disposition Hearing for August 12th.   At that hearing, the State will ask the Court to commit the youth to a placement with the Department of Juvenile Services.  The State had pursued a waiver to move the 16-year-old’s case to adult court. However, Judge Solt ruled in February that the respondent would remain in the juvenile system.

On the evening of September 20^th, 2019, John Weed was enjoying a family night at the fair when he was approached by the 16-year-old juvenile male, his 15-year-old brother, and a couple of their friends.  The 15-year-old teen and another youth asked Mr. Weed for money.  Mr. Weed said “no”.  The youth kept pursuing Mr. Weed, despite family members begging the youth to leave him alone. The respondent pursued the victim, punching him in the back of the head. As Mr. Weed squared up with the respondent, his 15-year-old brother came running from a distance and punched Mr. Weed with such force that photos indicated he likely lost consciousness almost immediately. As Mr. Weed laid unconscious on the ground, the respondent spat on him. Mr. Weed ultimately died of his injuries the next day at Shock Trauma in Baltimore.

The 15-year-old co-respondent in this case pled guilty to manslaughter on April 29, 2020. During an adjudication hearing May 15^th, Judge William R. Nicklas Jr. followed the State’s recommendation that the respondent be placed in a long-term behavioral modification program.

The family of John Weed participated in this morning’s hearing via video conference. They have appeared regularly for all of the hearings since the teens arrest in September 2019. Weed’s family supported placement in an appropriate juvenile treatment program for both respondents.

The State was represented by Chief Assistant State’s Attorneys Laura Wilt and Rebecca Clinton.

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Frederick, MD –  Today in Frederick County Circuit Court, a 15-year-old respondent pled guilty to Manslaughter for the September 20^th offense at the Frederick Fair that resulted in the death of Mr. John Marvin Weed of Mount Airy. The State requested that the youth be tried as an adult, but after a lengthy hearing in February the Court determined he would remain in the juvenile system.    The youth has been held in detention since the incident, and remains there pending a disposition hearing on May 15, 2020 at 11a.m.   Mr. Weed’s family participated in today’s hearing via video conference, and will be involved in the disposition hearing as well.    They have faithfully attended every hearing, and want to see the youth held accountable in an appropriate juvenile residential program.

The offense occurred September 20, 2019 at the Great Frederick Fair.  Mr. Weed was enjoying a family night at the fair when he was approached by the 15-year-old juvenile male and a couple friends.  The teen and another youth asked Mr. Weed for money.  Mr. Weed said “no”.  The youth kept pursuing Mr. Weed, despite family members begging the youth to leave him alone.  The facts that the teen stipulated included that he hit Mr. Weed twice as Mr. Weed walked away, then his brother got involved and hit him twice.   When Mr. Weed was facing his 16-year-old brother, the respondent came running from a distance and punched Mr. Weed with such force, the photos indicate he had lost consciousness almost immediately.   Mr. Weed never regained consciousness and died of his injuries the next day at Shock Trauma in Baltimore.   The facts as detailed in the Courtroom on Wednesday indicated that not one witness who was present with the respondent, nor Mr. Weed’s family, nor the teen himself, said that this was a race-related incident.  All of the individuals were interviewed by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Detectives and never accused Mr. Weed of using any racial slur.

Following today’s hearing, State’s Attorney Charlie Smith commented, “Holding him responsible for the manslaughter was the very first thing we wanted to accomplish for the family and community, regardless of whether he was tried as an adult or juvenile.  The family and my prosecutors are pleased that has now occurred.” Smith added, “We now turn our efforts toward the disposition set for May 15.  Since the judge made the decision to keep him in the juvenile system, that means the judge and juvenile services will focus on his rehabilitation, not punishment like the adult system.  That’s a reality that we have to deal with, and one the family understands as well.”

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