Jury Trial For Homicide Defendant Begins On His Birthday

By Hannah Sawickey [former] - July 28, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

The jury trial for homicide defendant Arthur Holt began on July 27, the defendant’s birthday, before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry G. Williams.

Holt, 29, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, use of a firearm during a violent crime, and possession of a firearm with a felony conviction.

Holt was originally set for a five-day trial in March 2022, but it was postponed due to a death in the prosecutor’s family.

He was offered a plea of life suspending all but 60 years with 5 years on probation for first-degree murder and 10 years for the use of a firearm during a violent crime. These sentences would be served concurrently. Holt, accompanied by his defense attorney, Catherine Flynn, rejected the offer on Sept. 15, 2021. 

His co-defendant 35-year-old Keith Gladden and his defense counsel, John Cox, accepted a plea offer in March of this year and will serve a life sentence, suspending all but 50 years with 5 years on probation for first-degree murder and 10 years for use of a firearm during a violent crime. Both sentences are to be served concurrently. 

According to court documents, the men allegedly shot and killed 20-year-old Dontrell Toliver on the 400 block of North Montford Avenue on April 6, 2020. The victim was located by police on the corner of North Montford Avenue and Jefferson Street with apparent gunshot wounds to his arm, legs, and torso.

According to Flynn, the co-defendants were identified through store surveillance footage that recorded the entire incident. 

Holt’s jury trial began on July 27 and will continue on July 28.