Closing Arguments in Murder Case About Child Care

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An assistant state’s attorney stated that a 36-year-old defendant was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt during her closing argument in a July 2 jury trial in Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Samuel Cole Jr. is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, having a loaded handgun in a vehicle and having a loaded handgun on his person for his alleged involvement in the death of 30-year-old Jonathan Miller.

Miller was the stepfather of Cole’s son and the two allegedly got in an argument on FaceTime about taking care of Cole’s son. The two were planning to meet in person on Jan. 22, 2022, and while driving, Miller was shot in the head and died near the 4600 block of Walther Avenue.

According to charging documents, license plate readers determined Cole’s car was in the same location where the shooting took place. Cell phone location data also determined both Cole and Miller were at the same place during the shooting, and a witness saw a car near the 4600 block of Walther Avenue that looked similar to Cole’s.

“No one said they saw Samuel Cole kill Jonathan Miller,” the prosecution said. “However, the law makes no difference between circumstantial evidence and direct evidence, and all the circumstantial evidence points to Cole murdering Miller.”

Cole’s defense attorney, Jason Silverstein, responded by saying that Cole and Miller never met each other in person, and it’s unknown if Miller’s stepson is Cole’s biological son because the mother never took a paternity test.

Silverstein also pointed out that Miller’s stepson’s mother still let Cole see her son after Miller’s murder. He claimed the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) targeted Cole because he seemed to be the most likely candidate and just wanted to close the case.

“All the evidence I pointed out proves that Cole hasn’t been found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” Silverstein told the jury.

Cole’s case was before Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer.

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