What Does It Mean to Be A Fugitive From Justice ?
Maryland law defines a fugitive as someone for whom a felony arrest warrant has been issued.
That may be a slightly different definition than the one utilized on some TV shows. Baltimore criminal defense lawyers Attorney Eric T. Kirk have defended those accused of “harboring” a fugitive.
The law defines “harboring” as hiding, housing, or giving aid to a fugitive, or preventing that individuals capture.
Maryland law provides that in order to be so prosecuted, an individual must know the person involved is in fact a “fugitive” and that aiding them in avoiding arrest is a crime. Interestingly, however, if the fugitive is avoiding a prosecution, or sentence, there is no requirement the individual know that giving aid is a crime.
A “Fugitive from Justice” is one who is charged in that state “with treason, felony, or other crime, who has fled from justice [in that other state] and is found in this State.” See, generally, 9-102 of the Criminal Procedure Article.
