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By
Allyson Rogers
- July 15, 2025
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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Victims
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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland denied a request to postpone the trial of homicide defendant Gregory Markeith Barnes on July 15.
Barnes, 49, is charged with first-degree murder and three firearm-related offenses in relation to the fatal shooting of Dennis Edmonds, 39, that occurred last summer on the 4300 block of West Bay Avenue.
At approximately 9:40 a.m. on June 16, 2024, Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers responded to a call about suspicious activity around a Dodge Charger. Upon investigation, officers located a deceased Black male wrapped in a carpet in the backseat, with multiple gunshot wounds to his head. The Dodge was later said to be registered to Edmonds.
In January, Barnes rejected a plea for the charges of first-degree murder and firearm use in a felony or violent crime. The offer consisted of 60 years, followed by five years of supervised probation, and a concurrent 20 years, the first five years without parole.
Defense attorney Karyn Meriwhether stated that Barnes revisited his rejection following encouragement from his family and initially planned on taking the plea.
However, on Friday, July 11, counsel reportedly received communication from a key witness, who claimed they would not be testifying in court. Following this update, Barnes allegedly decided to pursue trial in hopes of getting o a lesser sentence.
As a result, Barnes’ six-day trial is set to begin on July 16.