Closing arguments continued Oct. 22 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Robert K. Taylor Jr. in the attempted murder case against Brandon Spencer, 49, with prosecutors arguing that witness testimony and other evidence connected him to a March 30 shooting on the 3100 block of Oakford Avenue. The defense argued that the state’s case was unreliable and encouraged jurors to review the evidence before reaching a verdict.
According to charging documents, Baltimore City Police responded to a reported shooting on the 3100 block of Oakford Avenue on March 30. The victim was later found at Sinai Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds to his jaw, legs, and lower back in critical condition.
Investigators said the shooting occurred during a cookout after an argument broke out among the guests. Witnesses allege that Spencer fired a gun during the incident. Also, surveillance footage showed a second man, identified as Spencer’s son, Therron Spencer, 29, firing multiple shots in the area. Therron is being tried separately on Nov. 4.
During closing arguments, the prosecutor used a PowerPoint presentation to review some of the evidence shown during trial and to help guide jurors through a map of the area where the shooting allegedly occurred. She also discussed the ammunition recovered at the scene and testimony from a witness who testified the previous day.
Prosecutors pointed to the witness’s testimony that she saw Brandon Spencer with a gun during the incident. During her rebuttal, the prosecutor argued that the witness would not have placed Spencer at the scene if she were simply trying to protect her son.
Defense attorney Michael Clinkscale disagreed with the state’s version of the shooting. He questioned whether two types of ammunition were found at the scene and challenged the witness’s testimony. He argued that video evidence appeared to show that the witness was not at the scene during the shooting.
Clinkscale said Spencer did not become a suspect until the witness identified him as being at the scene with a gun. He encouraged jurors to review the video and consider all the evidence shown throughout the trial. During the rebuttal, the prosecutor argued that Spencer had the opportunity to change his story after hearing the evidence presented at trial.
