Court Archives - Baltimore Witness

Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Counts, Burglary, Following Halloween Break-ins

By Mark McNeill , Jane Cox , Kabir Broker - June 12, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Suspects |

Details Derron Ranson, 46, pleaded guilty to two counts of firearm possession by a prohibited person and one count of fourth-degree burglary of a dwelling on June 11. On Oct. 31,2024,... Read More

Defendant Accepts Guilty Plea Following Victim’s Unrelated Murder

Details Brian Bradshaw, 19, pleaded guilty to firearm possession as a minor and having a handgun on his person before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Levi S. Zaslow on June 12.... Read More

September Trial Date Set for Defendant in Assault Case

Details Phillip Woods, 37, appeared before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland for a reception court hearing on June 12. He is currently facing various charges, including first-degree assault... Read More

Grandmother Pleads to Endangerment in Death of 10-Year-Old Granddaughter

Details Alethea Mitchell, 51, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and firearm possession as a prohibited person before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lynn S. Mays on June 9. Mitchell was originally... Read More

Judge Denies New Lawyer For Homicide Defendant

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Paul E. Alpert denied Dandre Woods-Bethel’s request for a new lawyer after he complained his current lawyer’s efforts were “ineffective” the last day of trial... Read More

Homicides Triple, Non-Fatal Shootings Decline by Nearly Half Between April and May

Details Homicides in Baltimore City roughly tripled from April to May, and reported non-fatal shootings dropped by approximately 46 percent. Compared to the six homicides in April, May saw 20, demonstrating... Read More

Court Denies Postponement, Sentences Man to 5 Years

Details Jermal Lundy, 25, stood before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland on June 11, requesting a postponement to allow more time for evidence to be reviewed. Lundy is... Read More

2020 Double Murderer Found Guilty, Criminally Responsible

Details At the end of his bench trial on June 9, Dandre Woods-Bethel, 29, testified about his history of mental illness in an unsuccessful attempt to prove himself not criminally responsible... Read More

Judge Denies Bail for Defendant With A Record

By Riley Mathews , Jasmine Milbourne - June 10, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting |

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Martin H. Schreiber II denied Reginald Allen, 40, home detention with monitoring during bail review on June 10. At a party on June 26, 2022,... Read More

Jury Acquits Attempted Murder Suspect of Most Serious Charges

Details A jury reached a not guilty verdict for the most serious charges facing 34-year-old Jytarious Evans before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Martin P. Welch on June 6. Evans was... Read More

Judge Approves Defense Strike Motions in Highway Murder Case

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy presided during a motions hearing on June 9 in which the defense moved to strike expert testimony by three prosecution witnesses. Defendant... Read More

Victim Identified, Suspect Arrested in Fatal Round Road Shooting

Details In reference to the homicide that occurred in the Southern District on June 8, investigators have arrested Melvin Scott, 32, of Baltimore. Scott was arrested in connection with the homicide... Read More

Man Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter of Baby Grandson

By Nicholas Carter - June 9, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Victims |

Details Man pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter of his 13-month-old grandson. Read More

Jury Delivers Mixed Verdict in Juvenile Homicide Trial

Details The jury reached a mixed verdict on June 5 in the homicide trial of 17-year-old Samijae Canada before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy. Canada was acquitted of... Read More

Trial Testimony Describes 2020 Double Murder

Details On June 6, witnesses to a shooting that left two dead delivered dramatic testimonies on the second day of Dandre Woods-Bethel’s murder trial. Woods-Bethel, 29, is charged with two counts... Read More

Case Dismissed Against Attempted Murder Suspect

Details Due to unspecified complications with one of the prosecution’s witnesses on June 9, parties agreed to dismiss the case of Travis Turner before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H.... Read More

Postponements Impact More Than Half of June’s Upcoming Murder Trials

Details Violent crime cases rarely get through the Baltimore City Circuit Court system unscathed for delays or postponements. Out of 12 homicide trials scheduled in June, only four have had little... Read More

Double Murder Suspect Opts for Bench Trial

Details Members of victims’ families gathered in Baltimore City Circuit Court on June 6 for the double murder trial of defendant Dandre Woods-Bethel, 29. Woods-Bethel and his attorney, Maureen O’Leary, opted... Read More

October Trial Date Set for Teen Murder Case

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland scheduled an Oct. 1 trial date for 18-year-old defendant Davion Foreman during a reception court hearing on June 6. Foreman is charged... Read More

Man Accused of Killing His Infant Receives October Trial Date

Details Anthony Ford, 28, received his new trial date before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland on June 6. Ford is charged with first-degree child abuse resulting in death... Read More

Defendant Rejects Plea in Attempted Murder Case

Details A June 5 hearing focused on the attempted murder of two people on Jan. 2, in the 2600 block of E. Federal Street. The victims, a man and woman, were... Read More

Murder Defendant Sentenced to Life

By Ethan Russo - June 6, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting |

Details Leon Spencer, 42, was sentenced to life in prison, suspending all but 50 years, during a bench trial on June 5. Spencer was convicted of first-degree murder and felony firearm... Read More

Attempted Murder Trial Postponed for Defense Counsel’s Medical Needs

By Sage Cho - June 5, 2025
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

Details Trial was postponed June 5 for attempted murder defendant Quantae Johnson following news that his defense attorney, Koryn High, was facing medical issues. Johnson was originally scheduled to stand trial... Read More

Surveillance Footage Disputed in Teen Murder Trial

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy presided over closing arguments on June 5 in Samijae Canada‘s murder trial. Canada, 17, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder... Read More