Sentencing delayed for man convicted of stabbing, beating

Clara Niel, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·2 min read

Jun. 28—A Frederick man found guilty of beating two men with a baseball bat and stabbing one had his sentencing postponed Monday.

Aaron Abrecht, 31, was found guilty on April 21 of one count of first-degree assault, according to online court records.

According to charging documents, Abrecht assaulted his childhood friend and his friend's cousin in September 2021 in an apartment after Abrecht's girlfriend said the cousin hit on her.

Abrecht used a baseball bat to repeatedly hit the cousin, who charging documents say his girlfriend was "hanging out with" at the time of the incident.

When Abrecht's friend came to the apartment, Abrecht hit him in the back of the head with the bat, and used a piece of broken glass from a picture frame to stab him in his left arm, left leg, back and chest, charging documents say.

Court documents say Abrecht filmed one victim, who had blood streaming down his face. In the video, according to court records, Abrecht screamed at the victim to "never mess with another man's [woman]."

According to court documents, Abrecht said he was acting in defense of his girlfriend and himself.

Abrecht fled on a mini motorbike, but the Frederick Police Department apprehended him.

Abrecht's sentencing was postponed until Aug. 12 after he told Circuit Court Judge Robert A. Greenberg that he was no longer satisfied with the representation his attorney, assistant public defender Matthew Frawley, was providing.

Abrecht said in court Monday that his girlfriend, who witnessed the altercation, was never called as a witness despite Abrecht wanting her to be. She was in the courtroom during his trial, he said.

Abrecht said the outcome of his guilty verdict would have been different had she been called as a witness.

Frawley declined to comment on why he chose not to call Abrecht's girlfriend as a witness, but Assistant State's Attorney Rebecca Clinton said in court Monday the state did not call her since she was "not a credible witness."

Frawley will remain as Abrecht's attorney until he can find a new one, court records show. A panel attorney — a private attorney hired through the public defender's office — is being considered.

The state is seeking a sentence of 25 years with all but 15 years suspended for both counts, followed by five years of supervised probation.

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