Father Acquitted in Dispute Turned Shooting with Son’s Mother

By Andrew Michaels - September 14, 2022
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

The mother of Andre Davis’ child adamantly and repeatedly declared, “Yes, yes,” that it was the 37-year-old defendant who twice fired a gun at her daughter’s car as her daughter attempted to drive away with her 1-year-old grandson and another passenger in tow.

On Sept. 13, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeannie Hong presided over Davis’ jury trial in connection to the 2020 Memorial Day shooting.

The defendant, who was facing six counts of attempted murder in addition to several assault charges, reckless endangerment, and weapons charges, was found not guilty on all charges on Sept. 14 after less than a day of jury deliberation, according to Judge Hong’s chambers.

He was represented by defense attorneys Jonathan Kerr and Amanda Savage.

The assistant state’s attorney assigned to the case called the mother of the defendant’s son to testify on Tuesday afternoon when she detailed how the incident unfolded. The woman testified that a few days before this shooting, her other son—unrelated to Davis—was killed in a separate incident, followed by her home being vandalized a day later. She said she wanted the son her and Davis shared to be with her during this time of grief, despite Davis’ wishes.

According to the woman’s testimony, Davis allegedly texted her on May 31, 2020, that he was going to stop by her home at the corner of Walbrook Avenue and N. Hilton Street to see how she was doing. The defendant then said he wanted his son to come with him—a comment Davis’ partner said was “selfish” given that her family was mourning.

During their talk, she said, Davis got a phone call from his younger brother and gave him directions to the house. When his brother and an unknown passenger arrived, Davis went to his brother’s car to speak with him. The mother of Davis’ child went inside to tell her mother to come outside if she heard arguing.

Davis’ brother overheard her, the woman testified, and angrily said, “There could be two funerals this week,” referring to her other son’s death.

Shortly after, the witness’ then-22-year-old daughter, grandson, and girlfriend of her deceased son arrived in a black 2005 Acura MDX. Her daughter began arguing with Davis’ brother after her mother informed her of the alleged threat, and the mother of Davis’ son urged her daughter to leave.

The mother of Davis’ son then testified that she heard her mother yell, “Gun!”

Standing a few feet away was Davis with a handgun, firing twice into the rear window of her daughter’s car, she testified.

Defense attorney Amanda Savage questioned the woman’s story, beginning with the fact that she did not call Baltimore Police after this happened. It was actually the woman’s daughter who called the police, Savage said, adding that the mother of Davis’ son did not speak with police until over a year after the incident, which was later confirmed during the lead detective’s testimony.

Savage also acknowledged that the woman called the police to report the vandalization to her home days prior but not to report a shooting; however, the woman responded that her objective at the time was to get her family to safety.

During the lead detective’s testimony earlier Tuesday afternoon, Savage dove into the various aspects of the police investigation, specifically the lack of witness interviews, including Davis’ brother and the mother and daughter of the woman who testified.

Police body camera footage also captured a neighbor across the street who told police that he saw a bald man in a white shirt with a gun in hand running from the area—a description Savage said Davis did not match, considering his long dreadlocks and the black shirt he was wearing that day.

“[The prosecution’s story] doesn’t make sense because it’s not true,” defense attorney Jonathan Kerr said during opening statements. “A story is told through evidence,” he continued, which the prosecution lacks as no video, weapon, or scientific evidence was found.

“The truth is Andre Davis wasn’t there to shoot anybody that day” but was there out of concern for his then-9-year-old son following the death of his partner’s other son, Kerr said.

Davis’ jury trial continued with more testimony on Wednesday, followed by the jury’s verdict.