Defense Claims Shooting Suspect's Rights Were Violated

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Trial remains pending for defendant Zahlir Gantt, 22, who pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges during a Sept. 2 hearing before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Timothy J. Doory.

Defense attorney Bradley Macfee raised several motions regarding alleged discrepancies with warrants used to obtain information from Gantt’s cellphone, claiming the errors violated Gantt’s Fourth Amendment right to protection against unlawful search and seizure. Macfee claimed one warrant lacked required signatures from a judge and questioned whether the document was fully reviewed.

The prosecution countered that the issues were insignificant and that multiple warrants existed for Gantt’s cellphone data, and pinned the missing signature on procedural changes. Judge Doory deferred ruling on the warrant motion until a later date.

Macfee also sought to bar testimony from a St. Mary’s County detective who said he recognized Gantt from Instagram and prior encounters. Macfee argued the testimony would unfairly prejudice a Baltimore jury, but Judge Doory ruled it could not be excluded.

A third motion challenged the handling of the crime scene, pointing to body-worn camera footage that showed the area unsecured hours after the shooting. The defense argued that evidence may have been contaminated due to delays in securing and preserving a crime scene. Prosecutors responded that ballistics evidence was properly recovered and the lapse was not grounds for exclusion.

Jury selection in Gantt’s case is scheduled for Sept. 3.

Defense Claims Shooting Suspect’s Rights Were Violated