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By
Jordan Fine [former]
- March 1, 2024
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On Friday, March 1, 24-year-old Antonio Purisima appeared in front of Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy to receive his sentence.
After pleading guilty to the first-degree murder of 21-year-old Kevin Moody on Nov. 27, 2023, Purisima now faces a life sentence, suspending all but 61 years, and three years of probation after his release.
Also charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, firearm possession with a felony conviction and having a loaded handgun in a vehicle, Judge Handy said “he is clearly a danger to citizens.”
Purisima’s record doesn’t just start with this crime. Judge Handy also mentioned that “he’s been getting in trouble since he was a young boy,” referencing Purisima’s criminal record beginning at age 14.
Purisima’s co-defendant Jerritt Barron did not plead guilty, leading Purisima’s attorney, Ronald Kurland, to argue, “You can ask nothing more than for a man to be responsible for his actions.” Though he tried attributing the crime to drugs and psychological issues, it was not enough to sway Judge Handy from the hefty sentence.
The prosecution argued that “the defendant had animosity towards the victim,” stating that Moody had been involved with the previous murder of Purisima’s friend.
Surveillance footage showed Purisima and Barron in the early morning of June 15, 2022, on the 2200 block of Ashton Street, an area associated with drug deals. The video allegedly captured Purisima and Barron chasing Moody down the street, shooting him four times. Moody was pronounced dead at the scene.
This murder also took place during Purisima’s probationary period for a previous crime, contributing a concurrent 11 years to his life sentence.