Attempted Murder Defendant Rejects Life Plea, Given August Trial Date

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An attempted murder defendant received a trial date on Feb. 6 after rejecting a life plea offered by prosecutors.

Defendant Quinton Hillery was offered a plea of life, suspending all but 30 years, with five years of supervised probation for attempted first; a consecutive five year sentence without the possibility of the parole for firearm use in a felony violent crime; and an additional consecutive sentence of five years without the possibility of parole for possessing a firearm with a felony conviction. The defendant would also be required to stay away from the victim and register as a gun offender. 

Hillery elected to keep his Hicks date, which is his right to be tried within 180 days of his or his attorney’s first appearance, but Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn found probable cause to go beyond the April 10 date due to the availability of his defense attorney, James Sweeting III.

Judge Phinn scheduled the defendant’s trial to begin on Aug. 9 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Yvette Bryant. It is expected to last three days.

According to the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), investigators believe Hillery was the cause of a non-fatal shooting of a 32-year-old man on the 500 block of W. Preston Street in August 2022. He was arrested on Aug. 25, 2022.

Hillery is charged with attempted first and second-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, firearm possession with a felony conviction, reckless endangerment, two counts of illegal possession of ammo, possessing a firearm with a drug conviction, and discharging firearms.