Widow of man killed in mass shooting pushes for change to Maryland criminal code

Skyler Sales
·2 min read
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SMITHSBURG, Md. (DC News Now) — Back in 2022 three people lost their loves at Columbia Machine in Smithsburg. Now the widow of one of the three killed is speaking out to amend Maryland’s criminal code.

“Mark’s been gone almost two years at this point and it seems like yesterday,” Mark Allen Frey’s widow, Angie Frey, said.

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Mark Allen Frey was one of three people killed during a mass shooting at the Columbia Machine plant. After the gunman was deemed not criminally responsible, Angie Frey took to the state capitol.

“The laws are geared toward the entitlements of the criminal and the victim’s families have been left behind,” Angie Frey said. “What we have to look forward to with the criminally not responsible plea that was accepted, is that any healing that we get to do through the course of the year, wounds are torn open every June when he’s come up for review for release.”

This was the reasoning behind a proposed bill that would make it possible to sentence those who are deemed criminally not responsible

“If someone committed murder and they were sentenced to 40 years in prison as a person found to not have the mental capacity,” Frey explained. “They will be sentenced to a medical facility for 40 years there wouldn’t be the option of the annual review.”

Frey says learning the outcome of the gunman’s hearing was shocking and felt that the proposed legislation will allow her and the other families to finally heal.

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“It’s all about accountability and nobody’s looking for money,” Frey explained. “What we would like is time to heal and not have to go through this every year.”

The bill is now waiting to be voted on before the end of the Maryland General Assembly session.

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