Baltimore Witness

Judge May Prioritize Homicide Defendant’s Trial after Fourth Postponement

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge said she would consider prioritizing the trial of homicide defendant Shae-von Edwards over a younger case following the former’s multiple postponements from COVID and... Read More

Defendant Accused of Attempted Murder Rejects Plea Offer

Details During a Nov. 17 reception court hearing, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn presided over parties as a defendant accused of attempted murder declined a plea offer posed by the prosecution.... Read More

Attempted Murder Defendant Denied Bail After Being Deemed a Safety Threat

Details On Nov. 18, a Baltimore man charged with attempted murder was deemed a public threat and therefore denied bail before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones. Kinard Smith is charged... Read More

Convicted Manslaughter Defendant Found Guilty of Violating Probation

Details On Nov. 18, family members of a female victim who was killed in 2017 addressed the court during the sentencing hearing of convicted manslaughter defendant Joseph Plowman. After Plowman was found... Read More

Baltimore Man Denied Bail in Murder of Voluntary Firefighter

Details A Baltimore man charged with the murder of a volunteer firefighter in 2017 was denied bail due to being a threat to public safety on Nov. 18 before Baltimore City... Read More

Attempted Murder Defendant Rejects Plea Offer and Receives Tentative Trial Date

Details On Nov. 18, a defendant facing multiple charges, including attempted murder, was informed that his jury trial would be rescheduled for Nov. 21. Larry Alexander Lee, Jr. received a new trial... Read More

Judge Continues Hearing for 15-Year-Old Murder Defendant

Details During a Nov. 21 reception court proceeding, Baltimore City Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn issued a continuance for a 15-year-old murder defendant as parties await the selection of a new prosecutor. The defendant... Read More

Attempted Murder Defendant’s Lawyer Questions Client’s Sentence Credit

Details On Nov. 17, an attempted murder defendant’s defense counsel raised concern over the amount of credit his client had received since being arrested and motioned for a sentence modification before... Read More

‘The Hurt Never Goes Away,’ Says Victim’s Mother During Defendant’s Sentence Modification Hearing

Details On Nov. 16, a convicted homicide defendant had a motion of modification hearing before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Phillip S. Jackson. On June 19, 1995, Eric Charles Smith was... Read More

Convicted Attempted Murder Defendant Granted Resentence Modification

Details On Nov. 16, a Baltimore man convicted of attempted murder had his motion to be resentenced granted before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Phillip S. Jackson. Judge Jackson granted the defense... Read More

Georgia Resident Charged in Northwest Homicide Has Case Nolle Pros

Details A Georgia man charged with first-degree murder had his case nolle pros by the prosecutor on Nov. 15 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones. The prosecutor entered... Read More

Defendant Charged with Attempted Murder Rejects Plea for Assault

Details An attempted murder defendant rejected a prosecutor’s plea of 10 years in prison for first-degree assault on Nov. 16 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn. Willian Flores... Read More

Daughter Describes Father’s Death ‘Over a Piece of Paper’ During Defendant’s Sentencing

Details A convicted homicide defendant was sentenced to life plus 20 years with the first five years without parole on Nov. 14 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Dana Middleton. Jaqwaun Owens was... Read More

Homicide Co-Defendant’s Trial Postponed Until May 2023

By Alyssia Davis - November 15, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

Details After refusing to sever two co-defendants cases on Nov. 15 Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeannie J. Hong sent the case of two homicide co-defendants to be heard before Judge... Read More

Prosecution Unable to Respond to Defense’s Not Criminally Responsible Claims on Behalf of Mother Accused of Murdering Children

Details During a Nov. 14 reception court hearing, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn set a trial date for a murder defendant and presided over parties as they discussed possible plea offers... Read More

Man Sentenced in Manslaughter Case after Stabbing Friend in the Neck

By Alyssia Davis - November 15, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Suspects | Victims |

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Dana Middleton described the death of a victim as “a life was lost over a fight about silly things” during a defendant’s sentencing on Nov. 14. On... Read More

Judge Continues Hearing As Parties Work to Find Suitable Trial Date

Details A homicide defendant rejected a plea offer from the prosecution on Nov. 15, opting to go to trial. Shae-Von Edwards is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, firearm use... Read More

Defendant Pleads Guilty to First-Degree Murder in Case of Fatal Stabbing

Details A defendant charged with murder plead guilty on Nov. 14 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lynn Stewart Mays. Kenneth Smith, represented by Jonathan Kerr and Megan Lewis, was charged with... Read More

Judge Sets Trial Date for Defendant Accused of Perpetrating Non-Fatal Shooting

By Ashley Brown - November 14, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Suspects |

Details During a Nov. 14 reception court proceeding, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn presided over parties as they set a trial date for a man accused of perpetrating a... Read More

Prosecution Unable to Respond to Defense’s Not Criminally Responsible Plea on Behalf of Mom Accused of Murdering Children

Details During a Nov. 14 reception court hearing, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn set a trial date for a murder defendant and presided over parties as they discussed possible... Read More

Murder Defendant Accused of Stabbing Ex-Girlfriend Rejects Plea Offer

Details During a Nov. 1 reception court proceeding, a murder defendant who is accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend rejected a plea offer posed by the prosecution. Forell Issac, 38, is charged... Read More

Convicted Homicide Defendant Receives Positive Assessment

Details On Nov. 10, a convicted homicide defendant was praised in a review hearing before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey M. Geller. In 1987, Marlow Bates was convicted of murder,... Read More

Baltimore Man Accused of Murder to Undergo Additional Competency Exam

Details On Nov. 9, a defendant had to be asked to quiet down by Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gale E. Rasin during his mental health court appearance. Defendant Christopher Straham could... Read More

Defense Rejects Plea Offer on Behalf of Murder Defendant

Details A defense attorney representing a murder defendant declined a plea offer posed by the prosecution during a Nov. 10 court proceeding under the counsel of Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge... Read More