Six criminal cases were heard in Baltimore City Circuit Court’s reception docket on Oct. 3, four of which Judge Melissa K. Copeland scheduled for trial. The remaining cases, a homicide and an attempted murder, were respectively set for a motion hearing and status hearing.
Of the four homicide cases that moved to trial, defendant Dion Thompson, 26, will be retried after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict on April 1.
Thompson faces two first-degree murder charges and multiple firearm violations for allegedly shooting off-duty Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Sergeant Tony Mason Jr., 40, on the 2800 block of Elgin Avenue nearly eight years ago. The incident, which occurred Nov. 4, 2017, left Mason’s girlfriend injured.
Arguments between attorneys during Thompson’s initial trial notably escalated, causing Judge Lynn Stewart Mays to clear the courtroom in order to diffuse tensions.
Thompson is now slated to appear before Judge Alan C. Lazerow on Feb. 2, to be retried over the span of five days.
Another homicide case that moved to trial concerns victim Donny Robinson, 61, who was found deceased inside a refrigerator in 47-year-old defendant Damerum Burroughs’ apartment.
On March 10, Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of Balmor Court following a call reporting a dead body in a refrigerator. The victim was later identified as Robinson.
In an interview with police, the witness said they approached Burroughs about the deceased body, prompting Burroughs to confess he killed Robinson.
During the hearing, Burroughs rejected a plea deal for a life sentence for first-degree murder, suspending all but 40 years, followed by five years of supervised probation.
Burroughs is now set to stand trial beginning Jan. 14, 2026 before Judge Cynthia H. Jones.
Juvenile Kenden Harrison, 17, faces murder and firearm charges in connection to the shooting of Rashid Maxwell Jr., 15, over two years ago.
Harrison, who was also 15 at the time of the homicide, allegedly met up with Maxwell on Sept. 25, 2023, to complete the sale of a firearm. Area surveillance footage captured him leading Maxwell out of the frame of surveillance footage and allegedly shooting him in the head and torso before fleeing.
Harrison, who was ultimately identified via witness statements, video surveillance footage, and telephonic communications obtained by detectives, is set to stand trial beginning Jan. 12, 2026 before Judge Sylvester B. Cox.
Dewitt Jackson, 28, will face trial the following month, after parties in his case resolve several outstanding evidence matters.
During the scheduling hearing, Jackson rejected a plea offer of life, suspending all but 60 years, followed by five years of supervised probation for the first-degree murder of Bryan Stansbury, 18. Stansbury was found dead in an East Baltimore residence last December.
Officers identified Jackson as the suspect of the Dec. 10, 2024, murder via cellphone location records and a white Ford Explorer with a distinctive sticker that he supposedly used to arrive and depart from the crime scene on the 1100 block of Quantril Way.
Approximately 12 hours after police responded to the crime scene, the Baltimore City Fire Department responded to the 2800 block of Saint Lo Drive in Clifton Park, where they found the Ford Explorer on fire. Arson detectives determined the fire was set intentionally.
Investigators were able to track Jackson’s cellphone from Rosedale, where the Ford Explorer was originally reported stolen, to the murder scene and the location the vehicle was later found burning. Jackson was arrested Feb. 3 in connection to another matter.
Jackson will stand trial before Judge Paul J. Cucuzzella, beginning Feb. 17, 2026.
One of three men accused of murdering a teenage male during a May 7 fatal shooting in East Baltimore appeared before Judge Copeland to request a date to join his case with a co-defendant’s.
Ra’Shawn Smith, 19, will reappear before Judge Yolanda A. Tanner on Dec. 5 to argue a motion to join his case with 34-year-old co-defendant Rodsheead Alexander’s for trial. Smith and Alexander, along with 19-year-old co-defendant Zion Wimbish, are accused of murdering 15-year-old John Lewis on the 3500 block of Brehms Lane.
A March 23, 2023, shooting incident that occurred on the 1600 block of Eutaw Place will return to reception court on Dec. 5 for a status check.
Two men were injured by gunfire in the shooting, but survived. Both victims reported they were shot by a man riding an electric scooter. The suspect was later identified as Arnold Jackson, 55, who was previously found incompetent to stand trial during a mental health court hearing before Judge Gale E. Rasin.
