Teen Sentenced In Officer Amy Caprio Murder

TOWSON, MD — The teen who murdered Officer Amy Caprio was reportedly sentenced to life in prison. Sentencing took place in Baltimore County Circuit Court on Wednesday, Aug. 21.

Dawnta Harris, 17, of the 1600 block of Vincent Court in west Baltimore, learned his sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole in court before noon Wednesday, WMAR reported.

In May, a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree burglary and theft from $1,500 to $25,000. The jury issued the verdict May 1 following more than a week of proceedings.

The conviction stemmed from the death of Caprio, a 29-year-old Fallston resident who worked as a police officer in the Parkville precinct. The medical examiner ruled her death homicide as the result of traumatic injuries. Video at trial reportedly showed Harris ran her over with a stolen Jeep.

The afternoon of May 21, 2018, Caprio was responding to a call about suspicious circumstances in Perry Hall. Several people were walking around houses on Linwen Way, and as she was on the way there, police said she was informed there was a suspect vehicle described as a black Jeep.

Caprio called for clearance of radio transmissions as she approached the Jeep, which authorities said was stolen, as she recognized a potentially dangerous situation.

The driver — later identified as Harris — refused orders she gave him eight times to get out of the vehicle, WJZ reported.

Instead, Harris drove toward Caprio, who was standing in front of her patrol car and was able to fire a single round into the Jeep's windshield before he hit her.

At sentencing, Fox 45 reported that the teen's attorney said she did not have probable cause to pull out her weapon, and he said that Harris was a "child."

Harris already filed a request for a new trial, according to court records. The judge denied his request in court Wednesday, Aug. 21, according to Fox 45.

His attorney argued that Harris did not mean to kill the officer and was just trying to go home. Despite a six-page letter from Harris that was read in court asking for mercy, Judge Jan Marshall Alexander gave him the harshest sentence of life in prison, according to The Baltimore Sun. The state's attorney told the paper Harris will be eligible for parole after 15 years.

Police said after Caprio died that her work led to charges in her own murder and helped investigators close six burglaries.

After Harris was convicted, his three alleged accomplices pleaded guilty to murder on June 3, when they were set to appear for a motions hearing.

According to their plea deals, WBAL reported the teens would plead guilty to felony murder while the state would drop burglary charges and request a 30-year sentence for the murder charge, which could carry a sentence of life in prison. These three entered guilty pleas to murder:

• Eugene Robert Genius, 19, of the 400 block of North Lakewood Road, Baltimore, 21224
• Derrick Eugene Matthews, 17, of the 200 block of South Dallas Court, Baltimore, 21231
• Darrell Jaymar Ward, 16, of the 2300 block of Ashland Avenue, Baltimore, 21205

Genius, Matthews and Ward are set to appear for sentencing on Sept. 16.

UPDATE: 2 More Teens Sentenced In Caprio Murder

Caprio was the first female officer killed in the line of duty in the history of the Baltimore County Police Department.

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