Attempted Murder Defendant Accepts Plea Offer 

By Sophie Gad [former] - April 21, 2022
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Victims |

A 34-year-old Baltimore man accused of attempted murder accepted a plea offer of 10 years with three years supervised probation on April 20 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn.

Keith Betts, is charged with first and second-degree attempted murder, first and second-degree assault, use of a firearm during a violent crime, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, having a handgun on his person, discharging firearms within Baltimore City, reckless endangerment, and illegal possession of ammo in connection to an incident on April 22, 2021. 

Judge Phinn listened as the prosecutor presented a plea of 20 years suspending all but 10 years with 3 years of supervised probation for first-degree assault and 10 years suspending all but 5 years without parole for use of a firearm during a violent crime. The sentences are set to run consecutively. 

Under the plea, Betts must also stay away from the victim and register as a gun offender with the Baltimore Police Department within 48 hours of his release. In addition, Betts has credit on his time from May 23, 2021. 

Betts, and his defense attorney Tony Garcia, accepted the plea. 

According to CBS Baltimore, on April 22, officers responded to reports of gunshots on the 5600 block of York Road. On arrival, officers found 32-year-old Barry Wilkins suffering from gunshots to his upper back at a nearby Wendy’s fast-food restaurant. 

Investigators were able to confirm that the shooting did not occur there.

The victim had a verbal altercation with Betts. Betts then reached into his waistband and grabbed a handgun, so the victim ran away, but Betts chased him and shot him in the back, according to the prosecutor.