Threatening and Attempting to Burn under Maryland Law
Criminal Defense attorneys in Baltimore know that a written of verbal threat to burn a structure or set off a bomb, is treated seriously, carrying a penalty of 10 years in prison. Baltimore Criminal Defense attorneys Attorney Eric T. Kirk has also seen that “attempt” has a specific definition under the arson law – placing the incendiary material in the place to be burned, with the intent to burn.
Maryland law additionally contains specific provisions dealing with threats or false statements where a destructive device is concerned.
Section 9-504 of the Criminal Law Article provides: “person may not circulate or transmit to another, with intent that it be acted on, a statement or rumor that the person knows to be false about the location or possible detonation of a destructive device.: This crime is treated harshly as well, with a maximum possible sentence of 10 years.
Destructive device is defined quite broadly under applicable Maryland law. Section 9-504 of the Criminal Law Article tells us that a destructive device is ” explosive material, incendiary material, or toxic material that is: combined with a delivery or detonating apparatus so as to be capable of inflicting injury to persons or damage to property; or deliberately modified, containerized, or otherwise equipped with a special delivery, activation, or detonation component that gives the material destructive characteristics of a military ordnance.”
- bomb
- grenade
- mine
- shell
- missile
- flamethrower
- poison gas
- Molotov cocktail
- pipe bomb, and
- petroleum-soaked ammonium nitrate.
