Attempted Murder Trial Begins for Defendant Accused of Shooting Former Employer Over Money

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Defense counsel for attempted homicide defendant Devon Murray argued that the prosecution “severely overcharged” his client for an argument-turned shooting against his former employer on Reisterstown Road in 2019.

Although charged with attempted murder, defense attorney Janine Meckler said, the evidence points toward reckless endangerment.

According to the prosecution’s opening statements on March 2, video evidence shows the 31-year-old defendant walking into his former employer’s mechanic shop on the 2200 block of Reisterstown Road on Sept. 25, 2019. Court documents state that Murray was fired from his job two months prior but that his disabled vehicle was still in the shop.

Murray and his former employer began arguing when the latter said the defendant needed to pay to keep his vehicle in the garage. A short time later, Murray rode his bike out of the shop, turned around, and fired two gunshots at the victim.

Investigation revealed that Murray had a reasonably close relationship with the victim, the prosecutor said. The victim later identified Murray as the shooter via a photo array.

Meckler informed the jury of her client’s state of mind at the time of the shooting, saying that Murray was depressed after the recent death of his two-month-old son and that the victim was a father figure. Defense counsel also questioned the prosecution’s evidence, telling jurors that they would see people arguing in a video but that the video had no sound.

“If [the prosecution] is able to prove anything at all, it is that this is reckless endangerment at most.”

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Charles Peters continued presiding over the trial as testimony began on Thursday.