New Defense Counsel, Witness Availability Delays 2021 Washington Boulevard Murder Trial

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A man accused of killing 27-year-old Kevin Kelly in 2021 had his trial postponed on May 10 due to changes in defense counsel and the prosecution’s witness availability.

Marcus Owens, 32, was scheduled to begin a jury trial on Wednesday before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeannie Hong; however, both defense attorney Sharon May and the prosecution requested the trial be postponed.

Judge Hong rescheduled Owens’ case for July 28.

May informed Judge Hong that Owens’ case was briefly handled by Karyn Meriwether, who had to recuse herself after the defendant allegedly wrote a letter to a witness. According to May, Meriwether felt she could no longer represent Owens as she had to become a witness.

Defense counsel also said she recently received discovery from the prosecution, some of which contradicts a  witness’ statement that the defendant committed the crime.

Two of the prosecution’s witnesses were unavailable for trial at this time, the prosecutor said.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 21, 2021, court documents state, Baltimore Police were called to the 2500 block of Washington Boulevard where they found a man, later identified as Kelly, with a gunshot wound to his head. Video surveillance footage recovered from the area helped police identify Owens as the shooter.