The trial of a 36-year-old Baltimore man accused of fatally stabbing his friend in the chest over a year ago continued on Feb. 19 before Baltimore City Circuit Judge Chen Catherine, with counsel delivering opening statements before a panel of jurors.
Terrance Jennings is charged with first-degree murder and openly carrying a dangerous weapon in connection to the fatal stabbing of 36-year-old Deandre Yelverton, which occurred outside an Exxon gas station on the 2500 block of N. Howard Street.
Prosecutors allege that on Nov. 6, 2024, Jennings stabbed Yelverton once in the chest following an argument, inflicting a wound that pierced the victim’s heart and resulted in his death. Jennings reportedly fled the scene on foot.
During opening statements, the prosecution described how area surveillance cameras allegedly captured the argument and subsequent attack, prior to which Jennings was reportedly heard warning Yelverton, “I’ll stab you.”
Jurors can expect to view footage from the body-worn cameras of responding officers who attempted to perform life-saving measures on Yelverton, as well as photographs of the victim’s body taken during his autopsy. The state concluded by urging the jury to find Jennings guilty of both his charges.
Defense attorney Jerry Rodriguez argued that Jennings did not act with the intent to cause serious bodily harm when he stabbed Yelverton, emphasizing that the two men had been long-term acquaintances who were as close as “cousins or brothers.” Rodriguez claimed that while the pair’s interactions could occasionally become argumentative, such exchanges were not unusual for close friends.
The trial is set to continue on Feb. 20 with additional witness testimonies.
