Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland advised counsel to “make sure everybody is ready” for the November trial against attempted homicide defendant Jelon Smith, which she agreed to schedule a week before his Hicks date.
On Aug. 10, the prosecutor and defense attorney Roya Hanna agreed to begin the 40-year-old defendant’s three-day trial on Nov. 2 before Judge Emanuel Brown. Judge Copeland noted that the trial date was “very close” to Smith’s Nov. 9 Hicks date — his right to be tried within 180 days of his or his attorney’s first court appearance.
The prosecutor informed Judge Copeland that he cleared the November trial date with the five expected witnesses, while Hanna said she anticipates one possible witness for the defense.
Earlier in the proceeding, Smith rejected the prosecutor’s plea offer of life, suspending all but 35 years, for attempted first-degree murder, a concurrent five years without parole for using a firearm in commission of a violent crime, and a concurrent 35 years for a second count of attempted first-degree murder. The defendant would also serve five years of supervised probation upon release and register as a gun offender; however, the defendant opted for trial.
Two victims, a male and a female, were shot during the incident on April 20, 2025. According to court documents, Baltimore Police officers were called for a reported shooting just before 6 a.m. near the 300 block of Eutaw Street. Police first found the male victim with a gunshot wound to his left foot followed by the female victim, who was found on the 300 block of W. Saratoga Street, with a gunshot wound to her abdomen.
Both victims were taken to University of Maryland Shock Trauma for treatment.
During the investigation, police used city and private surveillance footage to identify a person said to be Smith as the shooter. Court documents state that although both forms of footage showed Smith shooting the victims on the 400 block of W. Saratoga Street, the private video footage showed the defendant and the male victim arguing in front of 500 N. Eutaw Street prior to the incident. Afterward, Smith is allegedly seen walking around W. Saratoga Street, where he was followed by the male victim, before shooting both victims.
Three 9mm shell casings were also recovered from the W. Saratoga Street location.
