Judge Denies New Lawyer For Homicide Defendant

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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Paul E. Alpert denied Dandre Woods-Bethel’s request for a new lawyer after he complained his current lawyer’s efforts were “ineffective” the last day of trial testimony on June 9.

Woods-Bethel, 29, argued that his attorney had not spoken to any witnesses or cross-examined them. He also stated that he does not have a doctor currently, complaining about his medical condition. Judge Alpert defended Maureen O’Leary, Woods-Bethel’s current attorney, saying she was a competent to handle his defense.

This comes after the defendant was found mentally incompetent to stand trial in July 2023, but after further evaluations was found competent to stand trial last December.

As the proceedings moved forward, a retired Baltimore Police Department (BPD) homicide detective testified about the initial interview with Woods-Bethel and the crime scene. She told the court that she was dispatched as the main officer for the initial investigation after the defendant called 911 himself and gave contridictory statements regarding the shooting oftwo victims.

Woods-Bethel is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of attempted murder first-degree murder, five counts of firearm use in a felony violent crime and one count of having a handgun on his person in connection to the Sept. 12, 2020, fatal shooting of 46-year-old Julie Rice and 23-year-old Michelle Green.

The homicide detective alleged shell casings were found in Woods-Bethel’s living room, although their origin was unclear. On the porch with the two victims, the police department recovered four shell casings and one projectile stuck in a grill.

The detective then testified that during the execution of a search and seizure warrant, they reportedly found multiple weapons and ammunition in the home that Woods-Bethel was living in with his wife and child. Despite this, the sergeant made the call to not remove the weapons from the premises.

The initial recording of Woods-Bethel in custody showed him talking to himself in the interview room. In the recording, the defendant is seen to be visibly shaken saying he does not know what happened and repeating that his family is in danger.

During the original interview, Woods-Bethel told the detective he was “set up” and that some families in his neighborhood were out to get his family. Although, later the defendant says he does not know if the two victims were related to the families.

After parties finished questioning the detective, the prosecution rested their case against Woods-Bethel.