Sentencing Proceeds Despite Murder Defendant’s Attempt to Rescind Guilty Plea

By Racquel Bazos [former] - May 7, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge proceeded with a 29-year-old murder defendant’s scheduled sentencing despite her attorney’s motions to withdraw her guilty plea.

Lexus Hart pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and firearm use in a felony violent crime for the death of her godfather, 66-year-old Clarence Joseph Buckner, in January. 

Before Judge Lawrence P. Fletcher-Hill on May 7, however, her attorney Roland Harris argued it was in the interest of justice that Hart be allowed to withdraw her guilty plea since she didn’t fully understand its ramifications. The prosecutor told the court Hart had similarly vacillated on a previous plea decision in November 2023.

Judge Fletcher-Hill denied Hart’s motions to withdraw her plea and have a new trial, saying, “It is not in the interest of justice to go back and forth with the decision-making.” He also found that Hart was advised “thoroughly” as to the maximum penalties possible when she pleaded guilty five months ago. 

Moving forward with Hart’s sentencing, the prosecutor read the sentencing guidelines. For first-degree murder, the guideline was life. The two other charges carried guidelines of seven to 13 years each. 

The prosecutor asked Judge Fletcher-Hill to exceed the sentencing guidelines, recommending a  total sentence of life, suspending all but 50 years, with the first five years without the possibility of parole.

For the charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and firearm use in a felony violent crime, she asked for the maximum penalties of 20 years to run concurrently to the sentence of life, suspending all but 50 years, for first-degree murder. Later in the hearing, she called this proposed sentence “a gift for the defendant.”

The prosecutor said Hart “took advantage of an individual who trusted her” for her role in Buckner’s murder. She said Hart knew Buckner had considerable winnings from a weekend of gambling and conspired with her brother and co-defendant, Jaheim Battle, to rob him.

Now, she said, Hart refused to accept responsibility for her actions. She cited the pre-sentencing investigation generated by the Division of Parole and Probation, wherein Hart continued to deny involvement in the shooting and claimed to not know who the shooter was. 

Harris said his client didn’t intend for anyone to be hurt and that there was “no indication [Hart and Battle] planned anything in advance.” To defend Hart’s indecisiveness as to her plea deals, he said she was used to others making decisions for her.

Harris also decried the law allowing Hart to be charged with first-degree murder despite not pulling the trigger herself. Ultimately, he requested the judge sentence Hart to life, suspending all but 20 years. 

In her brief address to the court, Hart told Judge Fletcher-Hill, “I have a heart and I do cry at night.” She also said she was not a “violent person.”

“This is a difficult situation,” the judge said, weighing the statements presented in court Tuesday. 

Though Judge Fletcher-Hill didn’t put significant weight on Hart accepting responsibility, he found her continued denial of her involvement “disturbing.”

He also acknowledged that while the robbery itself may not have been Hart’s idea, she didn’t have to participate or aid Battle. To Harris’ point, he said the murder charge acts as a deterrent to both Hart and the general public regardless of her precise level of responsibility. 

“I don’t believe she is beyond redemption,” the judge said, stating he believed Hart could one day live productively in the community. 

The judge’s decision was in between counsels’ recommendations. He sentenced Hart to life, suspending all but 35 years, for first-degree murder, a concurrent 20 years for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and another concurrent 20 years, the first five years without the possibility of parole, for firearm use in a felony violent crime.