Defense Attorney Postponement Request Granted in 2022 East Lanvale Street Attempted Murder Case

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On July 11, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Kendra Ausby approved a request for a postponement for a defendant charged with attempted murder.

Defense attorney Karyn Meriwether requested a postponement for defendant Marika Nila Crawford because Meriwether cited that she needed more time to request medical records from Johns Hopkins on behalf of the victim.

Prosecutors objected to the postponement.

Judge Ausby sent the case to Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn for rescheduling.

During reception court before Judge Phinn, prosecutors mentioned Judge Phinn that the victim would not be able to make the postponement date, which would cause a new stand-in to come in on the prosecutors’ behalf.

Judge Phinn postponed the trial to Dec. 12 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Charles M. Blomquist.

According to court documents, officers responded to the reports of a shooting on the 1200 block of East Lanvale Street. Upon arrival, officers found the victim lying down on the floor, covered in blood.

A detective was able to interview the victim, to which the victim stated that a black female driving a silver truck was mowing the rear yard at a home on the same block.

The female, later identified as Crawford knocked on the victim’s front door and asked him if he needed his grass cut and the price of her service.

The victim agreed to obtain her services. When Crawford finished, she retrieved her payment from the victim and left.

Shortly after, Crawford knocked on the victim’s door to ask if she could use his bathroom, and he agreed and told her that the bathroom was upstairs.

Crawford went upstairs briefly, then came right back down. The victim had his back turned, and then he heard what he believed to be the racking of the slide from a gun.

Crawford stated, “You know what this is,” and the victim responded, “Well, then you’re gonna have to shoot me.”

Crawford fired two rounds at the victim, striking him twice.

The victim suffered a fractured vertebra and would need surgery to repair a vein in his neck.

Crawford, 27, is charged with attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, armed robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, use of a firearm during a felony violent crime, reckless endangerment, theft, having a loading handgun on her person, having a handgun on her person, having a loaded handgun in her vehicle, having a handgun in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm.