Defendant was Victim in Shootout, Defense Says

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Defense counsel in the case of a 39-year-old Baltimore man argued that his client, who is being charged in a non-fatal shooting, was the victim of a shootout between himself and a neighbor during a bail review hearing on Jan. 28 that was presided over by Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Phillip S. Jackson.

The defendant was charged with discharging firearms as well as several assault and weapons charges.

On Friday, defense attorney Andrew Clark said his client and his girlfriend got into an argument with a neighbor on Feb. 5, 2021, which resulted in an exchange of gunfire on the 2000 block of Wheeler Avenue. His neighbor, later identified as Eddie Buckley, was charged with attempted first and second-degree murder among other charges.

Buckley previously rejected a plea of 15 years suspending all but two years with three years supervised probation for possession of a firearm with a felony conviction earlier this month.

Clark argued that his client has been held without bail for almost a year, while Buckley was almost immediately released on a $35,000 bail. Evidence in the case only pointed to Buckley as the shooter, not the defendant, the defense attorney added.

The prosecution countered that the defendant was first denied bail in August 2021 and there have been no changes in the circumstances of the case.

Judge Jackson denied bail based on these allegations.

The defendant’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 29, and Buckley is scheduled for reception court on June 14.