Accused Shooter Released on Home Detention After 2nd Bail Review

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Shooting defendant Leonda Haynes was released on home detention Friday morning after having previously been denied bail in May.

Haynes and her defense attorney, Jonathan Kerr, appeared before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Philip S. Jackson on July 22, when the defendant’s case was brought to bail review for the second time.

A bail hearing was scheduled for Haynes on July 6 but postponed at the request of defense counsel.

Although discussed at his client’s last court appearance, Kerr did not mention the attempted first-degree murder charge against Haynes during Friday’s proceedings, a charge that does not appear on the Maryland Judiciary website. She is currently facing four weapons charges as well as first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and malicious destruction of property valued at more than $1,000.

According to Kerr, the defendant’s charges stem from an incident on Dec. 18, 2021, when Haynes was accused of firing a handgun at the victim’s house. Kerr said that Haynes has had 17 cases either dismissed or indefinitely postponed since March 2020, the majority of which have involved the same man.

Officers with the Baltimore Police Department found nine shell casings at the scene, while the victim told police he saw the defendant wearing a mask and firing a gun from the street.

A search and seizure later led to Hayne’s arrest; however, no additional evidence was found.

Less than two weeks before this incident, Haynes was charged with second-degree assault and use of a deadly weapon with the intent to injure for allegedly throwing a glass bottle and hitting the same victim in the back.

Kerr noted that Haynes has had “very minimal” involvement with the criminal justice system and that the victim has “a personal vendetta” against her, adding that police had to tell the victim to stop showing up at locations where they were looking for Haynes.

“This is not the behavior of somebody who was shot at,” Kerr said.

Judge Jackson ruled to release Haynes on electronic home monitoring and that she was to stay away from the victim.

Haynes is next scheduled to appear in reception court on Aug. 11.