62-Year-Old Woman Accused of Murder Accepts Plea With Reduced Charges

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On Sept. 19, Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer sentenced 62-year-old murder defendant Annette Hicks after she agreed to the plea offered by the prosecution.

The prosecution presented a plea of 10 years, suspending all but five years in prison, with five years of supervised probation for the fatal stabbing of 62-year-old Joseph Butler.

Hicks agreed to this plea offer. Judge Schiffer also accepted the terms of the plea, waived supervision fees and court costs and gave Hicks her sentence.

The prosecutor mentioned that the plea had reduced charges due to the death of a witness.

In a statement to the court, the cousin of the victim admitted, “I’m not angry anymore… I’ll forgive but I can’t forget.” He spoke about the victim, saying, “Joe was just an incredible, beautiful being.”

Hicks, who was represented by James Sweeting III, was previously charged with first-degree murder and possessing a deadly weapon with the intent to injure in connection to the incident that occurred on Oct. 29, 2022.

According to the statement of charges issued by the District Court of Maryland, Hicks stabbed Butler in a dwelling on the 2900 block of Reisterstown Road. Hicks, who was in a domestic relationship with Butler, was suspected because her son told detectives that she told him she stabbed Butler.