Co-Defendants Charged with Paralyzing Young Girl Set for Trial in July

By Alyssia Davis [former] - March 3, 2022
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

Two co-defendants involved in a non-fatal shooting were rescheduled for a jury trial in July before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John S. Nugent. 

Antwan Newton, 21, and Lasheena Stewart, 39, are charged with attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, conspiracy to attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, conspiracy to first-degree assault, second-degree assault, conspiracy to second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and firearm use during a felony-violent crime in connection to an incident on Nov. 22, 2019. The case received a mistrial in October 2021.

Newton is also charged with carrying or wearing a handgun on his person and discharging a firearm. 

The trial, which was slated to begin on March 3, was postponed due to the suspension of jury selection with the rise of COVID-19 cases. 

Initially, Newton and Stewart’s defense attorney’s, Chris Purpura and Roya Hanna, rejected a plea offer of life suspending all but 40 years first-degree attempted murder on July 6, 2021. 

According to the Baltimore Sun, the co-defendants are allegedly responsible for a Nov. 22, 2019, shooting that occurred on the 700 block of East 20th Street, which paralyzed a 13-year-old girl from the waist down.

Newton and Stewart’s trial is scheduled to be tried together in July. 

Editor’s note: A jury found Antwan Newton not guilty on July 14. Lasheena Stewart’s case was dismissed on July 14.