Prosecution will seek death penalty in fatal shooting of Smithsburg police officer


HAGERSTOWN - Prosecutors in Washington County say they will seek the death penalty if a Smithsburg man is convicted of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a police officer in December.

State’s Attorney Charles Strong says he made the decision in consultation with Smithsburg Police Officer Christopher Nicholson’s family.


Twenty-nine-year-old defendant Douglas Pryor also is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly stabbing his former girlfriend Alison Munson to death before confronting Nicholson.

Strong says Pryor is eligible for the death penalty because Nicholson was a law-enforcement officer performing his duty, and because Pryor allegedly killed Nicholson while escaping or attempting to escape from lawful arrest.



Good luck trying to find a judge that will sentence him to death.

It won't be any different because Maryland has shown it has no backbone or stomach for treating criminals like criminals.

Of course his lawyer will seek a change of venue, so I suggest, Garrett County.

Won't matter where as long as O'Malley is in office. He cares more about criminals than citizens. The only thing I can say about the other case of Morris the guards at the prison should not complain they wanted O'Malley they got him, so live with it. They all have a target on their backs now and they can't blame anyone other than themselves because it was well known O'Malley would not support the death penalty before the election and the guards and their unions still wanted him.

I bet most of the cop unions (I know AFSCME did) endorsed O'Malley, too.