72-Year-Old Man Tried Twice for a Double Homicide in 1973 to Review Plea Offer

By Andrew Michaels - June 6, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A 72-year-old man twice convicted for a double homicide in 1973 was offered a plea of life, suspending all but time served, on June 6 after serving 46 years in prison.

According to the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, Gold Leroy Bass Jr. was convicted of first-degree murder for the killing of Harry McGee and Nathaniel Sheppard on December 21, 1973.

Bass and a friend got into the backseat of a vehicle driven by McGee, with Sheppard in the front passenger’s seat, to purchase marijuana, the state’s attorney’s office reported. After parking the vehicle at the Wakefield Apartment complex on the 4900 block of Challedon Road, Bass and McGee exchanged words about the drug deal when Bass fired a handgun and shot and shattered the driver’s window.

It wasn’t long after that Bass shot and killed both victims.

The defendant originally received two life sentences and two concurrent sentences of five years without parole but was granted a new trial in 2017 when he was, once again, convicted of the same charges.

On Monday, Bass was back in court on another appeal and was offered two life sentences, both suspending all but time served, and one year of probation for first-degree murder, and two concurrent sentences of time served for handgun use in committing a crime.

Defense attorney Janine Meckler informed the court that while on appeal, Bass suffered a massive stroke and severe heart attack and would not currently be able to stand trial. Given his cognitive issues, she said, he could neither accept or reject the plea offer at this time.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn agreed to bring the case back to reception court on Sept. 13 to reassess the offer.