A Baltimore City jury acquitted 25-year-old Bernard Christopher Crawford on Sept. 4 in connection with a February 2025 shooting inside a home on the 3700 block of St. Victor Street. Crawford had been charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and firearm use in a felony or violent crime after prosecutors accused him of firing a gun at the residence during a confrontation with his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend.
A Dispute Over Hair Braiding Turns Violent
According to Baltimore Witness, Crawford had gone to the home, where his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend lived, to bring her supplies while she was there braiding hair. The visit followed a heated exchange between Crawford and the ex-boyfriend, and per a police report, the ex-boyfriend became unruly and sexually aggressive during the encounter. Officers responded to the scene, the outlet reported.
Investigators later found a bullet hole near the kitchen ceiling of the residence. No injuries were reported from the shooting. Opening statements occurred on Sept. 2.
Crawford Testifies He Never Fired a Weapon
Testifying in his own defense, Crawford denied having a gun at the scene. He described a physical confrontation with the ex-boyfriend, the report states.
The case included testimony about the physical struggle. Crawford testified about the physical struggle, and a friend of Crawford's said that while he had a gun, he did not have the code to access the safe where it was stored, the outlet's report notes.
Jury Selection
Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Paul Cucuzzella presided over the case, per the same account. Cucuzzella was appointed to the 8th Judicial Circuit Court for Baltimore City by then-Governor Larry Hogan in April 2022 and won the Nov. 5, 2024, general election; his current term ends in 2039, according to Ballotpedia. Crawford was released following the proceeding after the jury rendered its acquittal before Cucuzzella.
What Crawford Was Facing
Had jurors convicted Crawford, the exposure was severe. Under Maryland Criminal Law Code Ann. § 3-202, first-degree assault is classified as a felony crime of violence carrying a maximum statutory penalty of up to 25 years in state prison, according to Scott MacMullan Law. Separately, using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years without parole eligibility under § 4-204, a penalty that is in addition to the underlying offense, per FrizWoods. The reckless endangerment count Crawford also faced is a misdemeanor under § 3-204, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, according to Seth Okin Maryland Criminal Lawyer.
South Baltimore Corridor Has Seen Other Violence
The 3700 block of St. Victor Street was the site of the February 2025 shooting. The corridor has seen other violent incidents in recent years: Baltimore Police investigated an April 12, 2025 shooting on the adjacent 3600 block of St. Victor Street. Hoodline previously reported on that nearby shooting, which left a victim hospitalized as detectives sought the public's help identifying a suspect.
