Defense Attorney Requests More Time to Prepare in Case Against Mother Accused of Murdering Her Infant Son

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On March 30, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn continued a hearing for a Baltimore resident charged with murdering her son in 2020.

Defense counsel Janine Meckler, representing Shakira Shaw, requested more time to pick a trial date due to needing to check with an expert witness’ availability.

Shaw, 26, is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse resulting in the death of a child younger than 13 years old in connection to an incident on Oct. 6, 2020.

According to CBS News, in August 2020, the defendant informed officers that she suffocated her son, saying voices made her do it. One-year-old Kaleb Shaw was found in his home unresponsive on Dec. 28, 2019.

Shaw was initially found incompetent to stand trial, but on Nov. 17, 2021, she was deemed competent.

Judge Phinn granted the defense’s request for continuance and set Shaw’s next hearing for March 31.