Shooting Occurred Over an Ounce of Marijuana, Prosecutor Says

By Braden Hamelin [former] - July 25, 2022
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Home Page | Non-Fatal Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A prosecutor told a jury, during closing arguments, that a non-fatal shooting occurred over an ounce of marijuana.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones sent jurors to deliberations July 25, the last day of arguments in Corey Pointer’s attempted murder trial. 

“This was over an ounce of marijuana, or less,” the prosecutor said. 

The crime and eventual May 6, 2021, arrest of Pointer was the result of a violent dispute the victim testified about as well as evidence supporting her claims, prosecutor said during closing arguments. 

The prosecutor also said the injuries sustained by the victim prove the attempted first-degree murder charge and the violent intent behind Pointer’s actions. 

The prosecutor touted the victim’s backpack being found in the defendant’s car, angry text messages exchanged between the two, and Pointer’s ID and bank card being found on the scene, as proof of what occurred between the two. 

“You shoot at someone five times as they’re walking away because you want them to be dead,” the prosecutor said. 

Defense counsel Lawrence Rosenberg, spun a different narrative with his closing, focusing on what wasn’t proven by the prosecution to show the existence of reasonable doubt. 

Rosenberg cited the lack of forensic evidence tying Pointer to the case and what he described as poor police work in following up on other sources of information to generate leads and a more concrete case against Pointer. 

He recounted testimony by the lead detective, who admitted to making an oversight by not testing some of the evidence recovered and also said police didn’t follow up on potential sources of video of the incident they identified. 

Rosenberg said it’s possible the victim got a gun and shot at Pointer after being struck by him, which would explain damage his car sustained during the incident. 

“There’s just not enough,” he said, “On behalf of Corey Pointer, let justice be done.” 

Pointer is charged with attempted first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, armed robbery, robbery, theft between $1,500 and $25,000, firearm use in a violent crime, having a handgun on his person, discharging firearms, drug possession with the intent to distribute, and firearm and drug trafficking.

The jury began deliberations just after lunch.