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By
Lake Marion [former]
, Alyssia Davis [former] - March 8, 2023
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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Suspects
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Victims
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A trial for a Baltimore man charged with murder was postponed on March 6 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Charles H. Dorsey.
Defendant Ernest Smith, represented by Creston Smith, is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, two counts of using a firearm in a felony violent crime, and attempted first-degree murder.
Prosecutor asked for a postponement due to not knowing that an important witness detective moved out of state and refused to come to testify.
Judge Dorsey and the defense attorney questioned why they needed the missing detective, to which the prosecutor said he was the only one to pull video footage.
Judge Dorsey would then send the case to Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn for a possible postponement.
Judge Phinn would then deny the prosecutors’ request for postponement.
According to court documents, on July 5, 2021, Keith Hughes was shot and killed on the 1800 block of E. Lafayette Street. A second non-fatal shooting victim was discovered after being dropped off at a local hospital.
Investigators obtained footage of Hughes being chased down by two gunmen. The video also showed a third gunman firing down the block of N. Wolfe Street. In the footage, three men run to a Nissan Altima after the shooting. Investigators discovered the tags of the car were registered to Smith.
Detectives conducted surveillance of Smith driving that same vehicle. He was then detained and transported to the Homicide Section pending a search and seizure warrant for the car.
With the postponement denied, the prosecutor dismissed all counts against Smith, 34, due to the important witness detective refusing to come back to Maryland to testify.