State v. William Anthony Smothers, C-08-CR-21-000526
LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, July 28, 2022, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Donine Carrington Martin sentenced William Anthony Smothers, 39, of Waldorf, to 30 years in prison for the Attempted Second-Degree Murder of James Rudd, Jr. and related charges.
Smothers was also sentenced to 3 years for a separate burglary case. Upon release, Smothers will be on supervised probation for 5 years.
On March 10, 2022, Smothers was found guilty by a jury to the Attempted Second-Degree Murder charge and the related charges. On May 24, 2022, he entered a guilty plea to the separate burglary case.
On September 10, 2021, officers responded to the 140 block of Jefferson Road in Waldorf for the report of a shooting. While on the scene, officers observed the victim, James Rudd, Jr., suffering from a gunshot wound to the right side of his head. They also discovered that the rear passenger side window of Rudd’s vehicle was broken, and the car had damage from suspected shot pellets on the exterior of the passenger side door. Rudd was treated by Emergency Medical Services for non-life-threatening injuries, and thankfully, survived.
During the course of the investigation, Smothers was identified as the shooter by a witness to the incident. The witness also reported that the shooting was a result of a verbal argument between Smothers and Rudd. During the argument, Smothers retrieved a shotgun, pointed it at Rudd, chased Rudd to his vehicle, and fired. Both Smothers and Rudd fled the scene after the shooting.
At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Donna Pettersen asked for the maximum penalty for the case, stating that this was a “senseless act, incredibly dangerous behavior, and disruptive to the community” and followed by stating that Smothers’ actions caused a nearby school to go on lockdown.
C-08-CR-21-000526
- Count 3 – Attempted Second-Degree Murder
- 30 years with all but 20 years suspended, 10 years will be served without the possibility of parole
- Count 4 – Use of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence
- 10 years, 5 years will be served without the possibility of parole, to run consecutively
- Count 5- First-Degree Assault
- 10 years suspended, to run concurrently
- Count 6 – Use of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence
- 10 years suspended, to run concurrently
- Count 7 – Reckless Endangerment
- 5 years suspended, to run concurrently
C-08-CR-21-000136
- Count 2 – 4th Degree Burglary
- 3 years
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