An eyewitness supposedly identified Brandon Lee Vines, 42, in Baltimore City Circuit Court on July 24, as the person who fatally shot Mitchell Rhone, 33, during an alleged dispute over control of drug turf.
The witness testified that he, the victim and the defendant knew each other and had previously lived together after he moved in because of family issues.
He said he had accompanied the victim to serve as a mediator with Vines because he believed tensions between the victim and defendant could escalate. According to the witness, the two men argued over who controlled the disputed street corner, and he advised them not to settle the dispute with firearms before gunfire erupted.
The witness testified that he heard three-to-four gunshots and saw the defendant run from the scene. Although he said the incident happened too quickly for him to see the firearm being drawn, he identified the defendant in court as the shooter.
The witness also testified that he remained at the scene until police arrived and watched officers recover a firearm from the victim’s waistband.
The trial before Judge Michael DiPietro is scheduled to continue.
