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By
Andrew Michaels
- September 6, 2024
Attempted Murder
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Court
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Daily Stories
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Non-Fatal Shooting
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Shooting
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Suspects
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A 20-year-old Baltimore man was found guilty of attempted first-degree murder among other assault and weapons charges on Aug. 28 for his role in last year’s shooting in the Mondawmin Mall parking lot.
Jurors reached a unanimous decision on Wednesday when they found Darrien Gaither guilty of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, having a loaded handgun on his person and having a handgun in his vehicle as well as three counts of reckless endangerment and two counts of firearm use in a felony or violent crime and having an unknown handgun. Gaither was found not guilty of another attempted first-degree murder charge and attempted second-degree murder.
Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John A. Howard granted the motion for judgment of acquittal for additional attempted first and second-degree murder, first-degree assault and firearm use in a felony or violent crime charges and a single count of second-degree assault. No verdict was reached in regards to two more second-degree assault charges and single counts of first-degree assault and attempted second-degree murder.
No sentencing date is currently scheduled, according to the Maryland Judiciary website.
On Dec. 29, 2023, Gaither was at Mondawmin Mall with five other suspects when shots were fired in the parking lot on the 2400 block of Liberty Heights Avenue. A 50-year-old UPS driver was struck in his ankle, while two unidentified victims were also injured.
The prosecutor told jurors that Gaither was identified after he was recognized by another Baltimore Police Department (BPD) detective. Video footage showed Gaither leaving the mall before the shooting.
Defense attorney Natalie Finegar reiterated that the prosecution’s case was based assumptions, indicating that there was no evidence the six suspects worked together to commit the crime. Finegar also reminded the jury that neither her client’s DNA nor his fingerprints were found at the scene.