Phillip Woods, 38, appeared before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Videtta A. Brown on Sept. 12 to stand trial for allegedly firing a gun from his apartment window at his former partner’s car during a breakup dispute in March.
Woods is charged with first- and second-degree assault, firearm use in a crime of violence, malicious destruction of property under $1,000, and discharging a firearm.
Witnesses included Woods’ former partner and two Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers who confirmed they recovered a bullet from the victim’s vehicle.
Jurors were told the longtime relationship between Woods and the woman soured after she discovered he was seeing other women. On the evening of March 5, she arrived at Woods’ home and allegedly her there.
The following day, she returned to his home to give him his belongings and claimed she planned to end their relationship. She testified that when she entered his room, she saw a gun on a table and grew nervous.
After leaving, she said Woods appeared in his third-floor window holding a handgun. She recalled hearing a gunshot and seeing glass from her car window hit her leg, but acknowledged she did not actually see him fire the weapon.
Jurors heard the 911 call she placed around 6:15 p.m. and saw photos of her 2011 Lexus with its window shattered. Detectives later searched Woods’ apartment, but were unable to locate a firearm.
Defense attorney Koryn High urged the jury not to take the prosecution’s claims at face value, emphasizing the lack of video, forensic, or physical evidence tying Woods to the shooting.
The woman testified that on the night of the shooting, she said she was on the phone with her sister when her car window shattered.
Cross-examination focused on the woman’s credibility and motives, including her gun license and her continued contact with Woods despite their breakup.
This trial is expected to conclude Sept. 15.
