Tacit confession disputed in double slaying case

A Smithsburg man charged with murdering his girlfriend and a police officer who pursued him wants a judge to throw out evidence of several tacit confessions.

The pretrial hearing for 30-year-old Douglas Pryor began last week in Montgomery County Circuit Court and was scheduled to end Tuesday.

Pryor could face the death penalty if convicted of fatally stabbing Alison Munson and shooting Smithsburg police officer Christopher Nicholson in December 2007.

Defense attorneys have moved to suppress evidence that Pryor nodded his head "yes" when asked by an investigator whether he had killed the police officer.

They also are challenging Pryor’s alleged statement that he deserved the death penalty for killing two people.

Information from: The Herald-Mail of Hagerstow Date: 3/31/2009 8:28 AM

The bill, which is supported by Gov. Martin O’Malley, is facing serious questions by members of the House of Delegates. The critics said it’s too complicated to take up with just two weeks left in the General Assembly.