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By
Jamiya Austin
- March 3, 2025
Attempted Murder
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Daily Stories
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Shooting
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Victims
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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gale E. Rasin ordered homicide defendant Bryant Whitaker, 28, to return to her courtroom within six-to-eight months after he angrily disrupted a mental health observation hearing on Feb. 26.
Whitaker, who was previously diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is charged with first- and second-degree murder and two counts of firearm use in a felony or violent crime in connection to the July 21, 2018 murder of 23-year-old Markell Wall on the Northwest corner of Darley Avenue and Aiken Street.
According to charging documents, surveillance camera footage from the area of the incident showed a male later identified as Whitaker standing at the street corner and opening fire at Wall after the victim exited a Ford F-150 truck. Whitaker was seen continuing to fire as Wall tried to drive away.
When Baltimore Police Department officers arrived at the 1200 block of Darley Avenue, they found the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Wall was transported to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Whitaker, who attended multiple mental health observation hearings since the incident, continued to yell and interrupt others during the hearing until he was muted, telling Judge Rasin, “I’m not going to trial.”
Judge Rasin, who had a hard time understanding Whitake advised him to “play it straight” and cooperate with the court in the future.
Medical analysts informed Judge Rasin that they can’t reach a formal diagnosis for Whitaker due to his belligerent behavior. They stated that he often spoke incoherently and previously called his assigned psychiatrist a “dumb b*tch.” A doctor questioned Whitaker’s competency and Judge Rasin called his manner of speech, “in layman’s terms, crazy.”
Judge Rasin acknowledged the gravity of Whitaker’s charges but pointed out that the case would remain at a standstill due to his unruly behavior. Whitaker has been deemed incompetent to stand trial numerous times in the nearly seven years since the incident.