Man Charged in Shootout With Maryland Police Free on Bond

A District of Columbia man accused in a shootout with Montgomery County police officers has been released on bond despite facing charges that include assault with intent to kill.

Ramad K. Speight was arrested in March following an early-morning shootout with three police officers that occurred near the Montgomery County border and that police say began after Speight fired shots in their direction. One of the officers was shot in the hand, and Speight himself was shot three times in the torso.

He was ordered held without bond after being released from the hospital, but a judge last week released Speight under specific conditions against the wishes of prosecutors.

In arguing for Speight's pretrial release, public defender Michael Satin said his client is a recent magna cum laude graduate of the University of the District of Columbia who has been accepted to business school, has been regularly taking an anti-psychotic medication that has reduced his risk of danger and will be living with his mother.

Superior Court Judge Florence Pan ordered Speight placed in a high-intensity supervision program, which imposes strict pre-trial monitoring of certain defendants accused of violent crimes.

Bill Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said Wednesday that prosecutors had opposed the request on the grounds that Speight posed a danger to the public.

“This defendant has demonstrated that he is a danger to the community. While he still has a court date in the future, we are disappointed that he has been released back into the community,” said Capt. Paul Starks, a Montgomery County police spokesman.

Speight's public defender had no immediate comment. A phone message left at a listing for Speight was not immediately returned.

The altercation occurred early on March 9 along Eastern Avenue, near Speight's home, after police responded to a report of gunfire. Police say Speight was standing with a firearm outside his house, and a witness told officers that Speight had expressed agitation with people across the street and had said he wanted to handle the situation.

Officers said they found Speight standing in the street and that he shot in their direction, prompting an exchange of gunfire. He said something to the effect of “Game over, boys,” before firing his gun, according to court documents.