Baltimore Witness

Co-Defendant in 2021 Armed Robbery Case Gets September Trial Date

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge scheduled a September trial date for 28-year-old Rico Blick, who is accused of robbing a man at gunpoint alongside his co-defendant in December 2021.... Read More

Autistic 15-Year-Old Boy Died from Brain Damage, Prosecutor Reveals During Defendant’s Trial

Details Sitting in the courtroom wearing a black floral top and red sweatpants, 33-year-old Stefanie Colon looked up at the ceiling as a Baltimore City prosecutor described the defendant’s role in... Read More

Hearing Pushed For Woman Accused in 4-Year-Old Boy’s Death

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court proceeding in the case of a woman accused of her 4-year-old son’s death was rescheduled for reception court later this week. Shateka Lawson, 43, was... Read More

Two Witnesses May Have Alibi for Convicted Shooter, Defense Says

Details Defense counsel for a man convicted of a non-fatal shooting in 2018 requested the court postpone her client’s post-conviction hearing on March 20 as she tries to find three witnesses,... Read More

Unavailability of Prosecution’s Witness Delays Attempted Murder Trial

Details The unavailability of a prosecutor’s witness created a three-month postponement for the jury trial of attempted homicide defendant Roderick Johnson on March 20. The 37-year-old defendant was scheduled to begin his trial... Read More

Judge Sentences Defendant to 25 Years For Murder, Assault, Probation Violation

Details Family members of homicide defendant Xavier Harper sat in the first row of a Baltimore City Circuit courtroom on March 20 to convince the 25-year-old defendant to take the prosecution’s plea offer... Read More

Alleged 2022 Sinclair Lane Attempted Murder Defendant Accepts Plea

Details On March 21, a Baltimore resident facing attempted murder charges pleaded guilty to armed robbery and was sentenced to 15 years in prison before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Charles... Read More

Defendant Accepts Guilty Plea for 2022 North Highland Avenue Murder

Details “I’m sorry. I don’t mean nothing like that.” Defendant William Brown addressed the victim’s mother on March 13 as he pleaded guilty before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Videtta Brown... Read More

Judge Grants Competency Evaluation Extension for Defendant Accused in 2019 Fatal Stabbing

Details A first-degree murder defendant appeared for a mental health court hearing before Baltimore City Circuit Judge Gale E. Rasin on March 1. Defense attorney Craig Kadish informed the judge that... Read More

Homicide Defendant Takes Plea After Trial Concludes, Before Jury Reaches Verdict

Details Homicide defendant Jaquan Terrell Burks opted to take a plea offer on March 14 after his trial concluded, but while jurors were still in deliberations. The 29-year-old defendant’s four-day trial... Read More

Woman Accused of Murdering Her Baby Has Her Trial Postponed

Details The jury trial for a 26-year-old mother charged with the murder of her baby was postponed on March 15, due to new defense counsel having recently been assigned to the... Read More

Convicted Murder Defendant Receives Life Sentence in 2020 Shooting Case

Details A prosecutor read a father’s impact statement before the court on March 13 during the sentencing of the defendant convicted of the murder of his son in July 2022. At... Read More

Woman Accused of Girlfriend’s Attempted Murder Begins Trial

Details “Imagine that a police officer witnesses a shooting—a shot of a rifle into a vehicle—and charges the person who was shot at. Isn’t that weird?” According to defense counsel, this... Read More

‘I Pray the Defendant Dies in Prison,’ Says Victim’s Mother During W. Baltimore Street Homicide Sentencing

Details “It’s hard being here speaking about the death of my baby,” said the victim’s mother through sobs as she addressed the courtroom on Tuesday. “The horrible murder of Khari was... Read More

Judge Grants Second Extension for Homicide Defendant’s NCR Plea Evaluation

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge granted an extension for the evaluation of homicide defendant Timothy Callanan on March 15 in connection to a plea of not criminally responsible that... Read More

Defendant Rejects 50-Year Plea for Allegedly Shooting 19-Year-Old in Head

Details A 21-year-old homicide defendant will proceed to trial rather than plead guilty to the first-degree murder of 19-year-old Julian Fruh in 2022. During reception court on March 13, the prosecution... Read More

Judge Signs Order For Homicide Defendant’s Mental Health Evaluation

Details A Cumberland man accused of fatally stabbing 63-year-old Keith Bell in September 2022 will undergo a mental health evaluation on March 16 before proceeding in Baltimore City Circuit Court. Defense... Read More

Woman Charged As Adult Pending Transfer to Juvenile Court

Details A 19-year-old woman who is being charged as an adult for a 2022 attempted murder was scheduled for trial in September as counsel awaits to hear whether the case will... Read More

Bar Bouncer Shooting Was ‘Self-Defense,’ Defense Argues

Details A bar bouncer will go to trial this July in what defense counsel described as a case of self-defense for the murder of 38-year-old Delaney Simmons last year. According to... Read More

Defendant Receives ‘Glowing’ Report After Manslaughter Conviction in 2013

Details A 52-year-old man convicted of manslaughter nearly 12 years ago continues making strides in the community as he received praise from a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge on March 15.... Read More

53-Year-Old Man Accused of Killing MTA Bus Driver Last Fall Gets Trial Date

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge set a trial date for 53-year-old Leond Hill for fatally shooting a Maryland Transit Administration bus driver last October. During the defendant’s arraignment on... Read More

Judge Sentences 2009 Convicted Attempted Murder Defendant for Probation Violation

Details “I take responsibility for my actions,” said a Baltimore man convicted of a 2019 attempted murder during his violation of probation hearing before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Kendra Y. Ausby on... Read More

Pregnant Woman Suffered Stillbirth after Defendant Assaulted Her, Defense Argues

Details “He beats the living baby out of her.” Standing before a 12-person jury, a prosecutor with the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office stressed the seriousness of the case against Rodney... Read More

Judge Grants Sentence Reduction for 2003 Juvenile Murder Defendant Tried As Adult

Details On March 14, a Baltimore man convicted of first-degree murder appeared in a motion’s hearing before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Kendra Y. Ausby. During Tuesday’s hearing, Edie Fortuna, who... Read More