Judge Sends One of Two Homicide Defendants to Trial

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Co-defendants who are allegedly involved in 2020 homicide were separated Oct. 17 with one sent straight to trial.

Deangelo Rogers and Jermaine Sanders, 31, are both charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, two counts of use of a firearm during a felony violent crime and first-degree assault in connection to an incident on March 29, 2020. Rogers’ is also charged with having a handgun on his person. Sanders’ is also charged with having a loaded handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun in a vehicle, and possession with a felony violent crime.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn sent the 26-year-old defendant to trial on Monday. The trial is expected to last five days

Rogers was sent to trial after he and his defense counsel Koryn High, rejected a plea of life suspending all but 50 years in prison with five years on probation for first-degree murder.

The prosecutor told Judge Phinn that Sanders’ was not offered a plea due to his defense counsel, Donald Wright, recently filing a not criminally responsible (NCR) plea on behalf of his client for competency issues.

Judge Cynthia H. Jones is presiding over Rogers’ trial.

Sanders’ mental health hearing is scheduled for Dec. 7.