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By
Zoe Foringer-Laing [former]
- July 20, 2021
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Victims
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A scheduled post-conviction hearing for a homicide defendant remained unheard for the second day in a row at the Baltimore City Circuit Court.
Baltimore resident Charles Morris was scheduled to appear before Judge Pamela J. White on July 19 regarding his second-degree murder conviction in 2015. However, a courtroom clerk informed Baltimore Witness that the hearing was postponed to July 20 because the defendant had not been transported to the courthouse.
Nevertheless, the case did not appear on Tuesday’s docket. The defendant’s court date has not been updated on the Maryland Judiciary website.
Morris, 45, was sentenced on June 12, 2015, to a total of 50 years in prison for the murder of David Armstrong. He received 30 years for second-degree murder and 20 years for firearm use in a felony crime, carrying a handgun on his person, and firearm possession with a felony conviction.
According to a press release from the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, the homicide occurred on Feb. 18, 2013, when Armstrong was fatally shot during a small drug transaction in an apartment on the 4300 block of Adelle Terrace in the Irvington neighborhood.
Morris appealed his conviction in 2017 on the grounds that the jury in his trial was presented with biased evidence and testimony. The prosecution argued that Morris’ objections to evidence were not mentioned during the trial, as required by procedure, and that the presentation of witness testimony was unbiased.
Morris also argued that Judge Wanda K. Heard’s sentencing was unfairly influenced by Morris’ past acquittals and his decision to go to trial. However, according to the prosecution, Judge Heard’s remarks did not meet the requirements for an impermissible consideration, as judges have “almost boundless discretion” in their sentencing decisions.
Appellate Judge Michael W. Reed agreed with the prosecution and denied Morris’ appeal.