Murder Defendant’s Trial Postponed to Complete Mental Health Evaluation

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A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge continued a 21-year-old murder defendant’s scheduling hearing to allow him time to undergo a not criminally responsible (NCR) evaluation on June 12.

Defense attorney Singleton Mathews, who stood in for Donald C. Wright, informed Judge Melissa M. Phinn that defendant Rakim Muhammad Jr.’s evaluation results would be available on June 20. The evaluation would determine whether the defendant was not criminally responsible by reason of insanity at the time of the incident.

Judge Phinn scheduled all parties to reconvene on June 26.

As stated in a Baltimore Police Department report, officers arrested Muhammad on Aug 4, 2022, in connection to the shooting of 33-year-old Earnest Jackson IV. Jackson was shot multiple times in the upper chest on the 3200 block of Fenwick Avenue on July 26, 2022.

As stated on the Maryland Judiciary website, Muhammad is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, carrying a handgun on his person, and possession of a firearm as a minor.