Trial Set for Attempted Murder Defendant Facing 32 Counts

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After being declared competent to stand trial in March, Brian Strawder, 33, appeared before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland during reception court on May 9. He was scheduled to begin trial Aug. 25.

The case is expected to last three days and will be heard before Judge Michael DePietro.

Strawder is charged with 32 counts, including multiple counts of attempted first-and second-degree murder, first-degree assault and burglary, reckless endangerment, and related firearm and conspiracy offenses. The charges stem from an October 2023 shooting of a 46-year-old woman.

Co-defendants, 32-year-old Kateria Womack and 34-year-old Phillip McCoy face similar charges.

Womack accepted a plea offer on Nov.18, 2024, receiving a 10-year sentence suspending all, but time served, followed by four years of supervised probation. McCoy is set for trial before Judge Levi S. Zaslow beginning on May 21.

According to charging documents, on Oct. 19, 2023, Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers reported to a home on the 800 block of North Eutaw Street, where they found a woman suffering from a gunshot wound to her right thigh. Two other individuals at the scene were unharmed.

One of the witnesses told officers that he had met Womack at the casino earlier that night and invited her to his residence, where he was currently living with the victim.

After Womack left, the witness said he turned around and saw two males, allegedly believed to be Strawder and McCoy, coming towards him from the kitchen, one holding a gun. The witness said he ran back upstairs with the victim, who was then shot twice on the steps.

Based on surveillance footage, BPD believes the three co-defendants planned to target the witness while he was at the casino.

During reception court, Strawder informed Judge Copeland that his defense attorney, Angela Shelton, has not met with him yet.

The prosecution then presented an offer that included 90 years for count one, attempted first-degree murder, with all but 45 years suspended. Along with five years of supervised probation and to register under the Gun Offender Registry Act (GORA). As well as 45 years for count two, a second charge of attempted first-degree murder. Lastly, 20 years for count 22, firearm use in a felony or violent crime, with the first five to be served without the possibility of parole. However, both count two and 22 would run concurrently with the sentence for count one.

Shelton did not accept or reject the offer at this time, stating that she and her client needed more time to review the offer and receive additional discovery.

“This is not an absolute rejection,” Shelton said. “I would just ask to hold this offer open.”