Man Accused in 2017 Bar Shooting Gets Retrial Next Year

Thank you for reading Baltimore Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

From two life sentences to an overturned conviction, 26-year-old Dimas Osoriovasquez will have his third jury trial in June 2023 to determine his alleged involvement in an attempted murder in 2017.

Osoriovasquez was convicted of attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and firearm use in a felony violent crime in October 2017.

During reception court on Dec. 13, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn scheduled the trial for June 20, 2023, before Judge Kendra Ausby.

Defense attorney Singleton Mathews stood in for Osoriovasquez’ defense attorney, Donald Wright, during the proceedings.

According to the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, the defendant and his male friend got into an argument with a security guard working at the Playbook Sports Bar and Lounge on the 6700 block of German Hill Road on Jan. 15, 2017. Osoriovasquez and his friend left the bar but returned when the friend held the entrance door open and started another argument with the security guard.

Osoriovasquez, who was hiding at the corner of the building, then used a shotgun to open fire on the victim, striking the victim’s right arm and chest.

The Court of Special Appeals later overturned his conviction in March 2019, citing that the court denied the defendant’s motion to compel the prosecution to provide the defense with two witnesses’ information, allowed the prosecution to make a speculative statement during closing arguments, and denied the defense’s motion for judgment of acquittal for a murder conspiracy charge involving the defendant’s friend.