More News

A Columbia man was sentenced to 30 years in prison Friday for attacking his ex-girlfriend and her daughter at their North Laurel home last August.

Raymond Samuel Watson, 54, of Columbia was sentenced to 30 years in prison for two counts of attempted second-degree murder in the Aug. 1, 2008 incident that occurred outside his ex-girlfriend Shirley Green's home at 9400 block of Loch Laven Court.

On April 27, Watson accepted a plea bargain but did not plead guilty, on each count for the attack on his ex-girlfriend, Green and her daughter, Nija Green, said T. Wayne Kirwan, a spokesman for the Howard County State's Attorney's Office.

Howard County Circuit Court Judge Richard S. Bernhardt sentenced Watson to consecutive 15-year terms for each attack.

"I think it was a tragic case for all involved. The victims sustained serious injuries ... They've sustained some psychological injuries as well," said Timothy M. Gunning, Watson's lawyer.

Gunning added that Watson has been a permanent resident of the United States since 1993, after immigrating from Jamaica. He said that if Watson is released, he will be deported back to Jamaica.

Susan Weinstein, a prosecutor for the Howard County State's Attorney's Office, said she was pleased with the sentencing.

"The sentence is extremely appropriate in light of the relationship the parties had and how Mr. Watson hid and waited for Ms. Green to come home before attacking her. It was just a horrible case of domestic violence," she said.

According to the charging documents, Shirley Green was returning home from a family outing at 10 p.m. on Aug. 1. When she was bringing her belongings in, she noticed Watson standing in her neighbor's bushes.

When she asked him what he was doing, Watson immediately attacked her with a pry bar and meat cleaver. Nija, 17, who was inside, heard her screaming and rushed out to help her. Watson then attacked Nija Green with the pry bar. The two received numerous cuts to the face, head, hands and arms.

Watson fled when a neighbor appeared. Both women were then flown by helicopter to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore and were released shortly thereafter.

Police found Watson, who had a prior Howard County Police record including second-degree assault charges, at about 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 3 hiding under a bridge near Steven Forest Road in Columbia.

Gunning said that before the incident, Watson had recently lost his job as a custodian and was evicted from his apartment.

"All of this caused him to become extremely emotionally overwhelmed," Gunning said. "Certainly his thought process and control were definitely different. His family was shocked and stunned he would be involved in a situation like this."

E-mail Timmy Gelles at tgelles@gazette.net.