Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge LaZette Ringgold-Kirksey denied a 36-year-old murder defendant bail on Dec. 2, citing the severity of her alleged crimes during an altercation that escalated into a fatal shooting in January.
Cassandra McRae, 36, is charged with double counts of first-degree murder and attempted murder, as well as multiple firearm and conspiracy violations in connection to the shooting, which reportedly occurred after a children’s basketball game on the 5400 block of York Road.
Charging documents note that Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers responded to the scene and located a Honda CRV with multiple bullet holes and a deceased passenger inside who was later identified as Anntoinnette Jennings, 52. A 29-year-old man and an 11-year-old girl were also located in the rear of the vehicle, suffering from non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.
Surveillance footage allegedly captured McRae making a phone call and walking to Jennings’ vehicle at the same time as two other suspects.
Defense attorney Michael Tomko requested that McRae be released into home detention on a 24-hour lockdown, arguing the defendant was never in possession of a firearm. Tomko claimed the shots were fired by the two other suspects.
Judge Ringgold-Kirksey ultimately ruled that McRae continue to be held without bail due to the gravity of her alleged crimes and the consequent threat her release could pose to public safety.
