Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge LaZette Ringgold-Kirksey presided over preliminary trial proceedings on Oct. 28 for a suspect accused in a fatal shooting that occurred in Baltimore’s Charles North neighborhood last May.
Montay Brown, 20, is charged with first-degree murder and firearm use in a felony violent crime in connection with the death of 33-year-old Garfield Redd.
According to prosecutors, on May 6, 2024, Redd was stopped at the intersection of E. 21st Street and Charles Street when Brown approached and fatally shot him.
During their opening statement, the prosecution presented surveillance footage from the incident area in which a single gunshot could be heard. Prosecutors described the event as “one terrible shot that ended a life,” emphasizing that Brown’s actions were deliberate. Family members of the victim grew emotional as the footage was played in court.
The prosecutor went on to describe Redd as “a father, a son, and a friend whose life was cut short,” telling jurors that multiple camera angles and witness identifications placed Brown near the scene both before and after the shooting.
During the defense’s opening statement, Brown’s attorney, Alex Leikus, described the case as “a horrible situation” but urged the jury to remain fair and base their verdict solely on the facts.
“Sympathy and sadness are not part of this case,” the defense said, arguing that Brown was not the person responsible for Redd’s death. The attorney reminded the jurors of their oath to be impartial and to focus on the evidence rather than their emotions.
Following opening statements, the prosecution called its first witness, a Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officer who responded to the scene in the early morning hours of May 6. He testified that he discovered Redd unresponsive in the driver’s seat of his car and that there was nothing he could do to save him. The jury was also shown body-worn camera footage from that night as part of the state’s evidence.
The trial is expected to continue through the week with witness testimony before Judge Ringgold-Kirksey.
