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By
Sage Cho
- January 10, 2025
Attempted Murder
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Court
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Daily Stories
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Non-Fatal Shooting
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Counsel gave closing statements in the attempted murder case of 44-year-old Marrico Bell before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry G. Williams on Jan. 10.
Bell was charged with attempted first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, firearm use in a felony violent crime, firearm possession with a felony conviction, illegal possession of ammunition, and firing a gun within Baltimore City.
According to a Baltimore Police Department press release, Bell allegedly shot and injured a 32-year-old victim in the 1500 block of Carswell Street following a physical altercation on Feb. 3, 2024. The victim was found suffering from apparent head trauma and gunshot wounds on his hand and arm.
Defense attorney Angela Shelton argued that the altercation could have been fatal because Bell suffers from hemophilia, a blood disorder that negatively impacts the body’s ability to form blood clots. The victim, who takes antipsychotic medication as well as medications for bipolar and schizoaffective disorder–characterized by delusions and wide mood swings–was allegedly high on synthetic marijuana at the time of the incident. Shelton said these factors made the victim “a weapon to Mr. Bell” and the altercation “life threatening for him,” leading Bell to open fire in self-defense.
The prosecution questioned Bell’s hemophilia diagnosis, asking why the defense neglected to submit medical records corroborating the claim. She also noted that the victim’s drug use should not deprive him of his rights and continued to reject the notion that Bell acted out of self-defense.
“This simply was not an act of self-defense,” said the prosecution. “There was no need for the weapon and Mr. Bell escalated this to deadly force.”