Co-Defendants Accused of Killing MTA Bus Driver Offered Plea Deals

Thank you for reading Baltimore Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

Two co-defendants accused of killing an MTA bus driver last year were presented plea offers during reception court on July 26 at the Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Baltimore residents Cameron Silcott and Nichelle Greene allegedly argued with driver Marcus Park over a bus payment on Oct. 8, 2020, according to CBS Baltimore. Greene, 30, took Parks’ bag and ran off of the bus with Silcott, 24. Parks chased after them along E. Fayette Street but was then shot by Silcott when he caught up to him and Greene.

During Monday’s proceeding, the prosecution offered Silcott and Greene a plea of life in prison for first-degree murder, along with 20 years for firearm use in a violent crime to run concurrently.

Both co-defendants are also charged with armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Greene’s defense attorney, Gary Bernstein, was not present during the proceeding and had not been informed of the offer at the time of the hearing.

Silcott’s defense attorney, Janine Meckler, said he is likely to reject the offer because he is pursuing a mental health defense on her client’s behalf.

Their cases are set to return to reception court on Aug. 19.

Another defendant in a separate homicide case received a trial date during the hearing.

Baltimore resident Roderick Griffin is charged with the murder of his 72-year-old girlfriend Lilian Herdnon.

Although Griffin, 57, was set to appear in a different courtroom, Judge Melissa M. Phinn presided over both the non-incarcerated and incarcerated reception court dockets.

According to the Baltimore Sun, police found Herdnon’s body at her home on the 5500 block of the Alameda on April 21, 2020, after she was reported missing. Griffin was arrested the following day.

Police said Herdnon was killed following an argument on April 10, 2020, 11 days before her body was found.

An autopsy by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide and determined the cause to be asphyxiation.

Griffin previously rejected a plea offer for life, suspending all but 60 years, for first-degree murder and theft between $1,500 and $25,000 on June 14.

Although Griffin’s defense attorney, Todd Oppenheim, had requested the case appear in reception court to negotiate another plea, on Monday, he said he was ready to schedule the case for trial.

In addition to the charges in the rejected plea offer, Griffin is charged with false imprisonment.

During the hearing, Oppenheim also said he will need time to file a motion to suppress his client’s statement.

Judge Phinn scheduled the trial and the motion hearing for Oct. 6.

Another case stemming from a 2020 incident was also heard on Monday.

Baltimore resident Antonio Janifer is the suspect in the non-fatal shooting of a Baltimore Police officer last year.

According to ABC Baltimore, an officer tried to initiate a traffic stop on May 26, 2020 around 9:30 p.m. Janifer, who was the driver, sped away, and the officer drove after him.

Janifer then abandoned his car on the 900 block of Light Street and attempted to run away. As the officer tried to chase him on foot, Janifer turned and shot him in the abdomen. Janifer then carjacked a nearby vehicle and escaped.

The officer was taken to University of Maryland’s Shock Trauma Unit, where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

A six-day manhunt ensued, ending with Janifer’s arrest by Baltimore Police officers and U.S. Marshals agents on June 1, 2020.

Janifer’s case was heard in reception court on Monday, following Judge Gale E. Raisin’s ruling in mental health court on July 7 that he is competent to stand trial.

Janifer is charged with two counts of attempted first and second-degree murder, three counts of first-degree assault, and one count of home invasion. He also faces 20 weapons and traffic-related charges.

The state offered Janifer a plea of life, suspending all but 60 years, for both of his attempted first-degree murder charges, 20 years each for four counts of firearm use in a violent crime, 30 years for first-degree assault, and 25 years for home invasion. Under the offer, he would serve all sentences concurrently.

Janifer’s defense attorney, David Shapiro, rejected the offer on his behalf and said he wants to schedule the case for trial as soon as possible.

The prosecution agreed, saying they need time before the trial to coordinate the schedules of the case’s 123 potential police witnesses.

However, Judge Phinn said she could not yet set a trial date because the only available times for trial would violate Janifer’s right to a speedy trial. She scheduled the case to return to reception court on July 29 for Janifer to waive his Hick’s date, referring to his right under Maryland law to be tried within 180 days of his first court appearance.

Another case during the hearing was scheduled to return to reception court for this reason.

Baltimore resident Melvin Tucker was allegedly involved in an attempted murder on Dec. 15, 2019.

On June 23, Tucker, 40, rejected a plea of 50 years, suspending all but eight years, for attempted second-degree murder, as well as five years without parole for firearm use in a violent crime. The sentences would have run concurrently under the deal.

On Monday, Tucker was offered a new plea of 25 years, suspending all but eight, for attempted second-degree murder; five years without the possibility of parole for using a handgun in a violent crime; and three years for reckless endangerment, with three years of supervised probation upon release.

Under the deal, which defense attorney Robert Cole Jr. rejected, the sentences would run concurrently.

Tucker is scheduled to appear in reception court on Aug. 19 to waive his Hick’s date and receive a trial date.

He is also charged with additional counts of attempted second-degree murder and reckless endangerment; two counts of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and second-degree assault; three counts of carrying a handgun within 100 yards of a public space; and one count each of possessing a firearm with a felony conviction, carrying a handgun on his person, carrying a handgun in a vehicle on a public road, discharging a gun in the city, and illegal possession of ammunition.

Follow this case