A jury found Uriah Cunningham not guilty of all charges for the Sept. 24, 2024 murder of 43-year-old Melvin Rodgers.
On Aug. 29, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Troy K. Hill announced the verdict, which cleared Cunningham, 32, of first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony crime of violence, and multiple handgun violations.
Prosecutors alleged Cunningham, known as “Big Baby,” shot Rogers in the back after mistaking him for another person who asked him to lower the music in his car on the 1800 block of Wilhelm Street. Police said they later recovered a 9mm handgun that matched shell casings found at the scene.
During the four-day trial, prosecutors presented cellphone location data, surveillance footage of a Nissan Altima linked to Cunningham, and testimony from an eyewitness who described the shooter as a heavyset man with a scar on his throat, a description matching Cunningham’s appearance. However, a key witness recanted statements she made during a police interview, saying she felt pressured by detectives.
Defense attorney Staci Pipkin argued Cunningham acted in self-defense and challenged the state’s case by pointing to contradictions in witness testimony and by questioning how police collected and handled evidence.
Cunningham previously rejected a plea offer of life, suspending all but 55 years. With this acquittal, he walks free nearly a year after his arrest.
