Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn rejected prosecution’s request on Aug. 23 to set a murder defendant’s trial date the same day as his co-defendant’s trial.
According to WMAR Baltimore, Kadeem Booker, 31, was arrested on Jan. 10 for the murder of a 26-year-old man on the 1800 block of Westwood Avenue. The victim had multiple gunshots wounds and later died from his injuries at the hospital.
The defendant was charged with first-degree murder, conspiring to first-degree murder, and accessory to first-degree murder after the fact.
On Monday, the prosecutor requested Booker’s trial date be set on Dec. 8, the same date as the co-defendant, Jerome Collier. The prosecution claimed that the two men would not be tried together, but it is “better” to have the two tried on the same day to finish plea negotiations.
Booker’s defense attorney, Creston Smith, suggested the issue be discussed further during reception court on Aug. 30; however, Judge Phinn denied both requests.
The prosecutor offered Booker a plea of a life, suspending all but 50 years, with five years probation, which was rejected.
Booker chose not to waive his Hick’s date, which is a defendant’s right to be tried within 180 days of the first court appearance. However, Judge Phinn found probable cause to push the trial, which is now scheduled for Dec. 15.
