Crime
Father and Daughter Await Extradition in Murder of Jacquelyn Smith
THE AFRO — The alleged murder of a woman known as a “good samaritan,” by a panhandler shocked many in Baltimore.
By Michelle Richardson
The alleged murder of a woman known as a “good samaritan,” by a panhandler shocked many in Baltimore, a city sometimes numb to violence. This week, in a gruesome real-life plot twist that woman’s husband and stepdaughter have been charged in her murder.
Originally, Keith Smith, 52, of Aberdeen and Valeria Smith, 28, of Baltimore told the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), his wife Jacquelyn Anne Smith, 54, was stabbed by a panhandler after she rolled down her window in a blighted East Baltimore neighborhood in December to give money to a man and woman who claimed they were trying to feed their baby.
For several weeks, waves of outrage rippled from Baltimore across the nation; even media titan Oprah Winfrey weighed in on the killing in December when she tweeted, “This story struck my heart. I’ve done this 1k times. But will think twice before ever doing again. To J.S. family I hope her death gets people “woke to change!”” wrote Winfrey.
In the aftermath of his wife’s alleged murder, Keith Smith and his daughter Valeria made emotional public pleas for information that would lead to the capture of the killer of their loved one; they made the round on local news stations, flyers were made and distributed throughout neighborhoods.
But, on March 3 BPD announced they charged Smith and his daughter with the murder of Jacquelyn Smith.
The father and daughter duo were caught by Texas State Troopers trying to escape the U.S. near the U.S.-Mexico border and were arrested in Combes, Texas. They had allegedly told family members they were moving to Florida.
Both are being held without bail in Texas and are expected to be extradited to Baltimore before March 20, according to charging documents.
“The information and evidence points it wasn’t a panhandler…People are taking advantage of Baltimore. We want to make sure the truth comes out and justice is done,” said Michael Harrison, BPD acting commissioner, during a press conference on March 4, with Mayor Catherine Pugh and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
“This is an example where collaborative efforts of the Baltimore Police Department and my office were able to get to the truth of the matter,” Mosby said.
“I’m disappointed that the two alleged suspects attempted to take advantage of negative perceptions of our city…We look forward to fighting for justice on behalf of Jacquelyn Smith and her family in a court of law.”
Pugh alluded to the deplorable ruse allegedly perpetrated by the accused murderers.
“Like everyone in our city, state, and across this nation, we mourned the senseless killing of Jacquelyn Smith. To now learn that family members staged this brutal killing is beyond belief and represents a double tragedy,” Pugh said. “They were responsible for taking Jacquelyn’s life with unconscionable cruelty and contrived to do so in our city under the guise of random violence, exploiting the legitimate fears of our residents. I commend our homicide detectives for their expert and tireless work in bringing those truly responsible to justice in this very troubling and sad case,” Pugh added.
Local television station, FOX 45 talked to the mother of Jacquelyn Smith, who said she had her doubts about how her daughter died from the beginning.
“She was just a good person. She liked everybody. She believed in God a lot. It was all phony. I knew it was not real. I suspected that he had something to do with it,” said Trisvan, who added she confronted her now estranged son-in-law at her daughter’s funeral.
“I gave you a beautiful daughter and you let her die like that, I know she didn’t deserve to die the way she died,” she said.
Smith and his daughter are both charged with nine counts of first-degree murder. Police have not established a motive in Jacquelyn Smith’s alleged murder.
This article originally appeared in The Afro.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
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Alameda County
DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland
Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.
Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.
California Black Media
Anti-Theft Bill with Jail-Time Requirement Gets Wide Ranging Support
Fed up with the alarming frequency of retail theft across California, including smash and grabs, a diverse group of business leaders, law enforcement officials, policymakers and public safety advocates joined their efforts in Sacramento on Jan. 24. Their purpose: to increase public support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1772, a bill that would make jail time mandatory for repeat theft offenders.
By California Black Media
Fed up with the alarming frequency of retail theft across California, including smash and grabs, a diverse group of business leaders, law enforcement officials, policymakers and public safety advocates joined their efforts in Sacramento on Jan. 24.
Their purpose: to increase public support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1772, a bill that would make jail time mandatory for repeat theft offenders.
Co-authored by Assemblymembers James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) and Devon Mathis (R-Tulare), AB 1772 would require jail time “of one to three years for theft crimes depending upon the circumstances.
“Offenses would include grand theft, theft from an elder or dependent adult, theft or unauthorized use of a vehicle, burglary, carjacking, robbery, receiving stolen property, shoplifting or mail theft,” the bill language reads.
Ramos said the need to act is urgent.
“It’s time for us to reverse the spikes in theft crimes since the pandemic. Our law enforcement members and district attorneys need additional tools such as AB 1772. We must reverse the trend before the problem grows worse. Last year I requested a state audit of the impact of Prop 47 on Riverside and San Bernardino counties,” said Ramos.
Prop 47 is the California initiative, approved by voters in 2014, that reclassified some felonies to misdemeanors and raised the minimum amount for most misdemeanor thefts from $400 to $950.
According to a Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) report, the rate of occurrence of petty crimes like shoplifting and commercial burglaries have increased by double digits over the last four years.
In Orange County alone, commercial burglaries have spiked by 54%.
“Our communities are experiencing an increase in retail crime and deserve appropriate action from their legislators,” Valencia said.
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus thanked Ramos.
“This bill, designed to impose stricter penalties on serial retail theft suspects, responds urgently to the escalating consequences of shoplifting and related crimes on our communities,” he said.
AB 1772 supporters who spoke at the gathering included Sacramento Sheriff Jim Cooper and San Bernardino Chief of Police Darren Goodman. Listed as supporters are the California State Sheriff’s Association, City of Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez and Redlands Chamber of Commerce.
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