Towson Football Player Denied Pretrial Release in Carjacking, Attempted Murder Case

RANDALLSTOWN–A former Towson University football player charged with attempted murder and armed carjacking will remain jailed pending trial after a judge ruled Tuesday that he poses a danger to the community.

Cordell Jefferson, 19, of Reisterstown, is accused of pointing a gun at a man and pulling him from his car near the Liberty Place apartments on July 20. Another man, 20-year-old Garrin Davis, allegedly shot and wounded the man during the carjacking.

Jefferson’s attorney says he drove Davis to the area believing his friend was meeting someone to buy marijuana and did not know a carjacking was planned. Jefferson maintains he never got out of the vehicle he drove to the scene, Jessica Rubin said.

Jefferson has been jailed at the Baltimore County Detention Center since his Aug. 7 arrest. He previously was ordered held without bail in District Court. On Tuesday, his attorneys renewed their request for his release in Baltimore County Circuit Court, asking that he be placed on home detention.

Jefferson appeared at the hearing by video.

Police charging documents say Jefferson and Davis arranged through another person to meet with the victim. Shortly after the man arrived at the meeting spot in his Honda Accord, two armed men jumped out of a white Jeep Renegade that approached his car from the front, according to the documents.

The man told police one gunman came to the passenger side of the Honda, ordered him to get out and struck him on the right side of the face with a gun when he hesitated.

Police suspect Jefferson pulled the man from the driver's seat. When the man tried to reenter his car, Davis allegedly shot him once in the arm. The wounded man fled on foot and got help from witnesses near Downey Dale Drive and Church Lane, who drove him to a nearby hospital.

Surveillance video showed the white Jeep traveling with the stolen Honda after the shooting, police said. Davis allegedly was driving the Honda. The stolen vehicle was recovered the following day in Baltimore City.

Rubin offered a different account of what happened.

“What we have is an individual who picks up his friend to go and pick up marijuana. But after that, he can’t control what Mr. Davis does,” Rubin said. “He is not the one that steals the car. He’s not the one who shoots the individual in the car.”

Under Maryland law, a person accused of participating in a crime can, under some circumstances, be held criminally responsible for offenses committed by an accomplice.

Rubin said Jefferson, who would have been a sophomore at Towson University, has a 3.5 GPA and attended the university on a full football scholarship. She said Jefferson has “tremendous family support,” no criminal history and would not pose a flight or safety risk if released.

Towson University has said Jefferson played football for the school last season but is not on the current roster.

Rubin said Jefferson was arrested at football practice "doing what he was supposed to be doing." She asked the judge to allow him to live with his family on home detention, which would allow him to take Towson classes online.

“To say that he was willingly going to be a participant in this carjacking and attempted murder when he's got college and football right in front of him, it just doesn't make sense,” Rubin said.

Rubin also questioned the victim’s identification of Jefferson. She said the victim described the man who pulled him from the driver’s seat as dark-skinned and Jefferson is not. A search of the Jeep Jefferson was driving and his home did not turn up a gun, she said.

Assistant State’s Attorney Patrick Brooks said a search of Davis’ home recovered several guns. Cellphone records place Jefferson in the same area as the victim at the time of the shooting, he said. Jefferson also told police he drove his sister’s Jeep to pick up Davis and take him to meet the alleged victim, Brooks said.

Brooks asked the judge to consider the seriousness of the charges and the lengthy potential sentence Jefferson faces and requested that he remain jailed.

“His [sentencing] guidelines just on the armed carjacking are going to start in the double digits,” Brooks said.

Judge Mayer said she understood the defense’s argument that Jefferson had too much to lose to throw it away by committing such a serious crime.

“I appreciate the argument that you’ve indicated that it’s been head-scratching to see a young person with so much promise end up in a situation like this,” Mayer said. “It’s something that I shake my head at almost every day in this position. And it is heartbreaking as well.”

But Mayer said she considered the allegations, charges, evidence and potential penalties in deciding Jefferson should remain jailed.

“I certainly find by clear and convincing evidence that if released, he would be a danger,” she said.

Jefferson is charged with attempted murder, assault, armed carjacking, motor vehicle theft and firearm offenses. No trial date has been set.