Nijah Ziniah Briscoe, 23, of Lexington Park
A Lexington Park woman is facing charges in two ongoing criminal cases following separate incidents involving alleged domestic altercations and a protective order violation, according to court documents filed in St. Mary’s County District Court.
Nijah Ziniah Briscoe, 23, of Lexington Park, is charged with second-degree assault for an incident that occurred on February 19, 2025, at her residence on Gordon Court. According to court documents filed by a deputy with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, officers were called to the home shortly after 7:00 p.m. for a report of a domestic disturbance.
Upon arrival, the responding deputy stated that Briscoe was “very irate.” Briscoe reportedly told the deputy that a male family member had become upset with her for placing a mop in the bathroom sink while attempting to clean up spilled wine. She claimed the family member “came aggressively toward her,” at which point she “shoved him with the broom.” Briscoe further alleged that he then “tackled [her] to the ground,” put her in a “chokehold,” and “grabbed her by the legs to keep her from standing for several moments.” She stated that after being released, she went upstairs and refused to leave the residence until police arrived.
The deputy also interviewed the male family member involved, who stated that Briscoe had spilled wine and attempted to clean it with a dry mop. He said he asked her to wet the mop and use cleaning chemicals properly. When she tried to wet the mop in the bathroom sink, he became upset and told her to use the tub instead. This reportedly sparked an argument, during which a female witness attempted to separate the two.
The male family member stated Briscoe began striking him “two or three times” with the mop, causing “several visible injuries.” After restraining her to prevent further assault, he said he asked her to leave multiple times, but she refused. The female witness corroborated that she saw Briscoe strike the male family member “multiple times” with the mop and removed a child from the area during the altercation. She also stated that Briscoe had acted violently toward family members in the past.
The responding deputy documented visible scratches on the male family member’s chest and right arm. The report also stated this was not the first time Briscoe had allegedly assaulted household members.
Briscoe was issued a criminal summons on March 7, 2025, and is scheduled for a preliminary inquiry on April 11, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in Courtroom 2 of the St. Mary’s County District Court.
In a separate case filed on March 5, 2025, Briscoe is also facing three misdemeanor charges: violation of a protective order, resisting/interfering with arrest, and disorderly conduct. These charges stem from a March 4, 2025, incident at the same Gordon Court address.
According to those court documents, a different deputy from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the location for a reported violation of a court-issued protective order. The deputy reported finding Briscoe standing outside on the property. Briscoe allegedly stated she had been at a rehabilitation center and had not contacted the protected party because he had possession of her phone. She claimed she had not arranged to visit the minor child mentioned in the protective order but had come to the residence anyway.
Inside the home, the protected party told the deputy that Briscoe had called earlier that day from the rehabilitation center but did not request visitation. He alleged that Briscoe appeared at the residence uninvited and began yelling from outside to retrieve her phone.
The protective order, issued October 28, 2024, and effective through April 28, 2025, specifically prohibited Briscoe from contacting or harassing a protected child and entering the residence unless granted specific permission. The deputy stated that Briscoe violated these terms.
When officers attempted to place Briscoe under arrest, she allegedly resisted by pulling away and “flailing her arms.” Officers stated she pushed them as they tried to restrain her. According to the report, Briscoe then grabbed a deputy’s handcuffs and bolted toward the front of the house, ignoring verbal commands to comply.
During the struggle, Briscoe reportedly picked up a body-worn camera that had fallen to the ground and held it in one hand while holding the handcuffs in the other. She allegedly screamed so loudly that it drew the attention of multiple neighbors. According to the deputy, “multiple people were coming outside of their residences to see why [Briscoe] was screaming.”
Briscoe continued shouting and claimed she had contacted the protected party, urging officers to “check the call log.” Despite repeated attempts to calm her, Briscoe allegedly tried to flee the scene. She was ultimately “brought to the ground with force” and handcuffed.
She was transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention Center and was released on her own recognizance after her initial appearance.
Both cases remain active and open in the District Court for St. Mary’s County.
Nijah Ziniah Briscoe, 23, of Lexington Park
