Court Archives - Baltimore Witness

GPS Monitor Tracks Suspect Near Murder Scene

By Tiffany Sartor - May 23, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting |

Details Maurice Prioleau, 28, declined a plea offer before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland on May 23. The prosecution offered Prioleau an aggregate sentence of life, suspending all... Read More

Montford Avenue Murder Suspect Waives Right to Speedy Trial

Details After counsel informed the court they are awaiting autopsy results and continuing to review evidence, Dakwane Cole agreed to waive his right to speedy trial before Baltimore City Circuit Court... Read More

Acquitted: Accused Bar Shooter Beats Attempted Murder, Firearm Charges

By Sage Cho - May 23, 2025
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

Details Angry voices rose in Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Nicole K. Barmore’s courtroom Friday as the prosecution argued in vain against defense attorney Koryn High’s motion to acquit Chardon A.... Read More

Defense Questions Victim Testimonies, Citing Drug Use, Leniency Offer

By Sage Cho - May 22, 2025
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

Details Police investigative methods and victim drug use were debated as Liteeaf Peterson’s attempted murder trial came to a close on May 21. Peterson, 25, is charged with attempted murder, assault,... Read More

Suspect Vehicle Linked to Defendant in Shooting Trial

Details An aggravated assault unit sergeant with the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) testified on May 22 about surveillance footage that showed a suspect vehicle driving near the scene of a non-fatal... Read More

Unruly Suspect Pleads Guilty to Home Invasion, Shooting After Judge Threatens Contempt

By Sage Cho - May 22, 2025
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

Details The second day of an attempted murder trial quickly turned tumultuous on May 22 as defendant Phillip McCoy repeatedly disobeyed court orders and disrupted proceedings. In the end, he grudgingly... Read More

Videos Said to Show Shooting Suspect Posturing, Singing With Weapons

By Sage Cho - May 21, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

Details A man charged in two firearm possession cases rejected an offer to have one of his cases dismissed as part of a plea on May 21. Franklin Titus Evans, 24,... Read More

Loyola Murder, Shooting Suspect Rejects Plea Deal

Details Dominic Pressley, 38, rejected a plea deal in a murder and shooting case before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeannie J. Hong on May 21. Pressley is charged with first-degree... Read More

August Trial Set for Man Accused of Shooting Pregnant Neighbor

Details A 44-year-old man accused of shooting his pregnant neighbor last fall rejected an offer to plead guilty to 30 years behind bars on Wednesday before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge... Read More

Attempted Murder Victim Will Not Testify at Trial, Defense Tells Jury

Details Defendant Chardon A. Cruz III will face the jury for accusations of an attempted murder last June, but according to his counsel, the gunshot victim will neither testify nor even... Read More

Teen Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder, Firearm Use

Details Antonio Harmon, 16, pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder and firearm use before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer on May 20. Harmon faces 50 years, suspending all... Read More

New Victim Identified in Shooting Trial

By Sage Cho - May 20, 2025
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

Details Following delays in proceedings due to a juror’s illness on May 20, counsel delivered opening statements in the attempted murder trial of Liteeaf Peterson, 25. Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge... Read More

Defense Attorney Withdraws From Shooting Case For Family Tie

By Allyson Rogers - May 20, 2025
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

Details A conflict of interest led defense attorney Robert D. Cole, Jr. to recuse himself from shooting defendant Kevin M. Hawkins Sr.‘s case on May 20. In order to have enough... Read More

Defendant Accepts Plea Deal, Offering Grandfather Heartfelt Apology

By Cecilia Wetzel - May 19, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

Details Jahmeil Anderson, 22, accepted a plea of one year probation with enrollment in the Maryland STRIVE Program on May 19 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer. The... Read More

Judge Won’t Postpone Shooting Case Despite New Witness

By Sage Cho - May 19, 2025
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

Details After parties in the case of attempted murder defendant Liteeaf Peterson failed to justify their respective motions before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Erik S. Atas on May 19, the... Read More

Reluctant Judge gives Home Detention to Man Who Shot Himself

Details Following an hour of back-and-forth arguing, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy reluctantly agreed to the prosecution’s plea offer for James Richardson, 54. Richardson is charged with possession... Read More

Jury Finds Man Guilty in Homicide, Road Rage Cases, Second Homicide Verdict Pending

Details A jury panel found Everette Schwartz, 37, guilty of murder and several counts of firearm possession on May 16. Schwartz, who is disqualified from owning firearms due to prior felony... Read More

Hollins Ferry Road Double Murderer Guilty on All Charges

Details Following a weeklong trial in Baltimore City Circuit Court, a jury found Vincent Harris guilty of all seven charges against him on May 15. Harris, 27, was found guilty of... Read More

Man Fatally Shot During Family Argument, Suspect Charged

By Allyson Rogers , Riley Mathews - May 16, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting |

Details A domestic dispute on Jan. 18 turned deadly when Shanelle Reed, 37, allegedly shot and killed her father, Brian, 59, on the 5600 block of Groveland Avenue. Reed was arrested... Read More

Gunfight Defendant Drops Counsel

Details On May 15, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer heard a motion by defense attorney Warren Brown to be released as counsel for Marcus Lilly, 42. Lilly and... Read More

Defense Waives Right to Speedy Trial in Homicide Case

Details Gregory Granger, 40, represented by defense attorney Staci Pipkin, waived his right on May 16 to a speedy trial within the 180 day deadline of an initial court appearance. Granger... Read More

Double Homicide Trial Set After Two Postponements

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland set a trial date of Oct. 10 for Lamonte Sherman, 29. Sherman is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two... Read More

Joinder Motion Fails for Two Murders, Attempted Murder

Details On May 9, 2025, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Judge Yolanda A. Tanner denied the prosecution’s motion to join Reginald Raysor’s three separate cases for trial. Across the three cases,... Read More

Defense Claims ‘Tunnel Vision’ Skewed Investigations in Triple Case Trial

Details As Everette Schwartz’s four-day jury trial came to a close on May 15, defense attorney Jason P. Rodriguez disputed the reliability of firearms, location, and identification evidence presented to the... Read More