Closing arguments were delivered on Dec. 4 in the jury trial of 56-year-old Craig Williams, who is accused of shooting his brother-in-law in their shared Pigtown home last November.
Williams is charged with attempted first- and second-degree murder, first degree assault, firearm use in a violent crime, and reckless endangerment in connection to the incident, which occurred Nov. 25, 2024 on the 1100 block of Scott Street.
The prosecution argued there is no doubt Williams was the shooter, claiming he was “grumbling” because somebody went in his room. On the day of the shooting, the victim and his girlfriend were in the basement when Williams allegedly began yelling upstairs, repeatedly shouting, “Why are you going into my room?” The victim said he then went upstairs to confront Williams.
The state said Williams’ bedroom contained loose ammunition and that shell casings were recovered from the top of a dark, narrow staircase where the victim and his girlfriend said Williams was standing when he reportedly opened fire. Prosecutors argued the shooting was premeditated, deliberate, and intentional, asserting Williams had time to retrieve the gun and fire at close range.
Defense attorney Michael J. Tomko countered that reasonable doubt exists, noting investigators found no firearm but recovered five calibers of ammunition while searching the home. He claimed the victim’s girlfriend would have been unable to see up the dimly lit and tight staircase from where she stood during the dispute. He also suggested multiple people could have resided in and owned firearms the house, and emphasized that no witnesses saw anyone flee the scene with a gun.
Tomko went on to question the credibility of the victim’s girlfriend, citing inconsistencies between her trial testimony and her initial 911 call. Though she had testified at trial that Williams later confessed to the shooting, the fact was absent from her initial interview with police. To jurors, Tomko said the fact that few detectives testified at trial should play a “significant factor in your ability to believe what you heard in this trial.”
The state disagreed during rebuttal, arguing that their witnesses were consistent in their accounts and honest about what they knew. Prosecutors stressed the gravity of Williams’ alleged crimes, noting he not only injured the victim but also endangered the victim’s girlfriend.
Jurors began deliberations following closing arguments.
Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer presided over proceedings.
