The tragic case of two teenagers fatally shot outside Columbia Mall has led their grieving families to seek justice beyond the courtroom, targeting not only the accused but also the monitoring company responsible for ensuring he did not roam free. According to a report by FOX45, the families of 15-year-old Blake McCray and 16-year-old Michael Robertson are suing Advantage Sentencing Alternative Programs Inc (ASAP), the company that was tracking 18-year-old Emmetson Zeah, the man accused of their murders.
This lawsuit comes after Zeah, who was wearing an ankle monitor due to a previous attempted murder charge, reportedly managed to violate the terms of his release consistently. Court documents cited by FOX45 reveal that Zeah had at least five violations in the weeks leading to the February shooting. The company was supposed to report these infractions promptly. Jeremy Eldridge, an attorney for the victims' families, was quoted as pointing out how "this has not only destroyed their families, but this has essentially infested the Howard County School System."
In the wake of the tragedy, ASAP's monitoring license was surrendered following an investigation by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, as detailed in a statement acquired by WMAR-2 News. The lawsuit, aligning with Maryland Senate Bill 468 that passed in 2024, alleges ASAP's neglect created "an unacceptable and foreseeable risk". The bill enforces the requirement for monitoring companies to swiftly notify the court and probation office of a violation once the person has failed to be detected for 24 hours.
Further compounding the company's liability is the allegation that Zeah's mother, his designated guardian for home detention, drove him to the mall on the night of the murder. "The failure of her to follow through with what she was supposed to do as a parent led to two young men losing their lives," said attorney David Ellin, as stated in a report by FOX45. Meanwhile, Jeremy Eldridge emphasized the breach of trust in community safety by adding, "Families and communities should be able to trust that court-ordered monitoring means active supervision."
As of the time the articles were published, ASAP had not responded to requests for comment on the matter. Zeah's trial is scheduled to begin on January 26.
