19-Year-Old Pregnant Woman, Who Allegedly Furnished Murder Weapon, Released on Home Detention

By Connor Driscoll [former] - August 4, 2021
Daily Stories | Homicides | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A 19-year-old woman accused of accessory to a May murder was granted pretrial release at the Baltimore City Circuit Court on Aug. 4. 

The Baltimore resident is charged with accessory to murder after the fact, second-degree assault, and conspiracy to commit second-degree assault. 

The charges stem from a double shooting on May 23 that killed 39-year-old Tayvon Kenan and left a 50-year-old man injured, according to the Baltimore Sun. 

During Wednesday’s bail review hearing, prosecutors said the defendant provided the gun to the suspect D’Angelo Woodrum. The defendant also allegedly helped Woodrum, 19, cover up evidence just after the shooting.

The prosecution asked Judge Philip S. Jackson to deny the defendant pretrial release. However, defense attorney Isaac Klein argued that his client was neither a flight risk nor a threat to the community, citing her family ties and the lack of any previous violent record, respectively. 

Additionally, Klein informed the court that his client was pregnant and at risk of contracting the new, highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.

Judge Jackson agreed, and granted her pretrial release on the condition of home detention.

Another young woman accused in a different shooting will be held in jail pending her trial.

Baltimore resident Niesha Holley is charged with attempted first and second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, firearm use in a violent crime, carrying a handgun, and possessing a loaded handgun on her person. 

The charges stem from an incident on Oct. 10, 2020.

Prosecutors allege that Holley, 23, was encouraged to fight another woman by her boyfriend. During that fight, Holley pulled out a gun and shot the woman. She then fled with her boyfriend to North Carolina, where she was arrested on April 1, according to the Daily Advance.

On Wednesday, the prosecution urged Judge Jackson to deny Holley pretrial release. Holley was represented by defense attorney Brandon Taylor. 

Given the severity of the alleged offenses, Judge Jackson denied Holley bail.

A 39-year-old Baltimore resident accused in a February shooting was also denied the possibility of pretrial release during the proceedings.

The defendant is charged with two counts of first and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. He is also charged with six firearm-related offenses. 

Prosecutors said that on the night of Feb. 2, following a dispute with another man, the defendant drove home to retrieve a rifle. He then drove back to the scene of the eventual shooting, the 2000 block of Wheeler Avenue, according to ABC Baltimore. 

The defendant attempted to fire the gun at the other man, later identified as Eddie Buckley, but the rifle jammed. Buckley, 38, then pulled out a pistol and shot the defendant. 

Following the shooting, the defendant drove himself to a local hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to his head. 

On Wednesday, the defendant’s defense attorney, Andrew Clarke, attempted to persuade Judge Jackson to release his client on bail. 

Buckley, who faces attempted first-degree murder charges, was allowed pretrial release on a $35,000 bond. For this reason, Clarke argued that his client should be given the same opportunity. His client, he added, was in fact the victim of the shooting, not the perpetrator.

However, the prosecution argued that the defendant, having returned to his house to retrieve a weapon, was the instigator of what happened on that night in February. 

Judge Jackson agreed and denied bail. 

Bail was also denied in the case of a Baltimore resident charged with attempted first-degree murder.

Kahi Richard is also charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, firearm use in a violent crime, possession of a firearm by a minor, carrying a handgun, and possessing a handgun within 100 yards of a school. He also faces two counts of reckless endangerment.

Richard was allegedly involved in the non-fatal shooting of a 32-year-old man on April 22 on the 5300 block of Frankford Avenue, according to ABC Baltimore.

Police arrested Richard and an alleged co-conspirator, 27-year-old Donte Price, on May 6.

On Wednesday, Richard’s defense attorney, Janet Andersen, asked the court to consider releasing Richard on bail or home detention.

Judge Jackson denied the request.