Opening statements were heard in the trial of Michael Reed, 22, before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Michael A. DiPietro on March 17.
Reed is charged with attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment and various gun offenses in connection to a shooting that occurred on July 10, 2025. Charging documents stated that police responded to a ShotSpotter alert on the 1200 block of W. North Avenue, where they found no victim.
Reed chose to represent himself at trial due to alleged complications with his previous defense attorney, Deborah Warner-Dennis, who had requested a postponement in the case. Reed adamantly refused the postponement.
The defendant opened by emphasizing the state’s inability to secure testimony from the victim. He called the prosecuting attorney’s claims “not true” and urged jurors not to find him guilty.
During opening statements, the prosecution claimed Reed was able to get away with shooting the victim because police had responded to a separate mass drug overdose in the area that drew their attention away from the gunfire.
“Without a doubt, the person in the video is trying to take the life of the victim, by sneaking up on him from behind, not giving him the chance to react or defend himself or do anything, and let out six shots trying to kill him,” the prosecutor said. “And because of that, the evidence is going to show—and you’ll see—that Mr. Reed is guilty of all the charges.”
According to court documents, eyewitnesses identified Reed as the shooter and surveillance camera footage captured a suspect chasing a man down the street through traffic, firing off six shots. Later, police received reports of a shooting victim at an area hospital and found the victim receiving treatment for a gunshot wound to his back.
The trial is set to continue with witness testimonies on March 18.
