Assaulting an MTA passenger could bring a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 15 years, under a measure sponsored by a state delegate. Melvin L. Stukes, D-District 44, also seeks a 20-year prison term for first-degree assault of a bus driver or train operator.
“I guess you would say the recent activities in the last several months kind of became the straw that broke the camel?s back,” Stukes said. “It was time to do something now.”
Stukes, who also works as a customer-service representative for the MTA, introduced the measures as nine Baltimore teens await a Jan. 31 trial in the December bus beating of Sarah Kreager, 26, her boyfriend, Troy Ennis, 30, and the driver.
The Robert Poole Middle School teens were riding home from school when the attack happened.
Some lawmakers, like Delegate Jill Carter, D-District 41, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, questioned the need for the bills.
“I believe we can charge and prosecute under current law,” she said. “Usually, increasing penalties doesn?t improve a problem.”
Under current law, first-degree assault convictions can be punishable by up to life in prison, while those convicted of second-degree assault can receive upto 10 years in prison, she said. Now, the only crime to carry a mandatory-minimum sentence is an assault against a police officer, which is an automatic felony, Carter said.
In addition to his proposed bills for assaults in buses, Stukes is also sponsoring a bill that calls for prison time for a person convicted of “malicious destruction of property” for damaging a transit vehicle. Restitution also would be required.
Another Stukes bill would prohibit obscene language in specified transit vehicles or facilities.
The bills will have first readings before the Judiciary Committee next month, except the obscene language bill which will be read before the Environmental Matters Committee.
WJZ-13 contributed to this story.
