Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy sentenced 46-year-old Antonio King to life in prison for first-degree murder on Oct. 20, along with an additional 35 years of imprisonment and five years of supervised probation for the remaining charges.
King was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, assault, and three firearm violations for killing 40-year-old Marcus Holloway and injuring an uninvolved onlooker during a shooting that occurred Nov. 18, 2024, on 1900 block of Edmondson Avenue. Jurors found him guilty July 23 of six of his eight charges, but failed to reach verdicts on his assault charge and one count of firearm possession as a prohibited person.
During the sentencing hearing, defense attorney Robert D Cole Jr. brought up seven motions, including claims the prosecution mischaracterized questioning. All seven motions were denied. The prosecution confidently defended their questioning, stating they did not think there was anything wrong with their questions and asserting that King was volunteering information. Judge Handy denied a violation of the attorney-client privilege.
Judge Handy addressed how these claims should have been raised during the trial, noting that Cole could have objected at that time, but did not.
Additionally, Cole mentioned King was allegedly acquainted with one of the jurors, claiming they were friends with his ex-girlfriend. However, this information was not previously brought to the court’s notice.
The prosecution argued a lack of evidence to support the allegation that King is acquainted with the juror. Judge Handy expressed concern, calling Cole’s attempt to reopen the juror list “very worrisome to the juror,” and ultimately denied his request.
“There was overwhelming evidence in this case,” Judge Handy said as she finalized her sentence.
The prosecution also noted King has previously had 15 prior convictions, including violations related to violent behavior, domestic violence, and drugs. They also highlighted the seriousness of the crime, which occurred in broad daylight on a busy street, and emphasized that a .45-caliber gun holster was later recovered from King’s vehicle.
Members of both Holloway’s and King’s families were present at the sentencing hearing, and several delivered emotional impact statements about the respective losses they suffered as a result of the shooting.
Holloway’s family spoke about the profound pain of never being able to hear from him again, while King’s family shared details about his difficult childhood and the loss of his daughter and both parents. They emphasized that King was always there to support others despite his hardships.
Judge Handy concluded the sentencing by acknowledging that Holloway’s family will never have the opportunity to speak to him or see him again — a privilege that King’s family retains.
“I want to apologize to all of the families involved,” King said as the hearing ended.
