Proceedings in the trial of Ra’Shawn Smith, 20, and Rodsheead Alexander, 35, ended quickly the morning of May 4 as both defendants accepted plea offers before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy.
Smith and Alexander were both charged with first-degree murder and several handgun violations for the murder of John Lewis, 15, on the 3500 block of Brehms Lane last May.
On May 7, 2025, Alexander was seen arriving at the incident location and exiting a silver Mazda CX-5 to allow Lewis to sit in the rear seat on the driver’s side. According to court documents, police in the area forced the driver of the vehicle, later identified as 20-year-old co-defendant Zion Wimbish, to circle the block to avoid being stopped.
Wimbish then stopped at the intersection of Manasota and Brendan Avenues, where an argument between Smith and Lewis escalated into a physical fight in the rear seat of the vehicle. Moments later, gunfire erupted between Smith and Lewis, and the rear passenger window was shot out.
Smith sustained a gunshot wound below the waist and exited the vehicle. At some point during the shooting, another associate of the defendants exited the vehicle and fled the scene. Video evidence captured Alexander approaching the vehicle from the rear and discharging his firearm into the rear window where the victim remained seated.
Lewis was shot multiple times. The driver of the vehicle attempted to drive away, only to stop t after a few blocks. Immediately after the shooting, officers detained Alexander, Smith and Wimbish. Lewis was transported to Johns Hopkins Hospital for multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased.
The suspects were taken into custody for allgedly acting in concert to exchange guns, resulting in the death of a minor victim.
Earlier in January, Wimbish pleaded guilty to three counts of having a handgun in a vehicle and three conspiracy charges. After noting the defendant’s remorse, Judge Dana M. Middleton imposed a sentence of 25 years, suspending all but eight. Counsel found that Wimbish, who was 19 at the time of his involvement, did not fire a gun that night.
Prior to proceedings on May 4, Judge Handy became frustrated with defense attorney Augustine Okeke for both failing to prepare civilian clothes for Smith and arriving to court unprepared for trial.
“We had a pre-trial conference which you did not participate in,” said Judge Handy. She also had to pause the hearing several times to call city hall and request they halt construction, which was disrupting the trial.
Alexander accepted a plea to downgrade his first-degree murder charge to second-degree. He will serve a sentence of 60 years, suspending all but 25 for that charge and a firearm offense.
Smith also accepted a plea offer of 25 years, suspending all but 12, on conspiracy and handgun charges.
Both defendants will be required to serve five years of supervised probation upon release.
