Co-Defendants in Fatal Double Shooting to be Tried Separately

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Two homicide co-defendants will now be tried separately after issues with defense counsel caused a postponement.

On Dec. 6, Shawn Brewton, 52, and Michael Corprew, 48, were scheduled to begin jury selection for a fatal double shooting in August 2021. This marks the trial’s second postponement after originally being scheduled in September.

Both defendants are facing two counts of first-degree murder and two additional firearms charges for shooting 41-year-old Santiago Loyal on the 1200 block of Cliftview Avenue on Aug. 11, 2021, and then shooting 38-year-old William Smith on the 3500 block of West Belvedere Avenue about a half an hour later.

The prosecution informed Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Dana Middleton that Corprew’s defense counsel, Augustine Okeke, was sick and requested a postponement. Brewton, who is currently represented by

, agreed with the delay, telling the court that his family is working to hire a private attorney.

“I’ve been incarcerated a year now, and I’ve only seen him two times,” Brewton said to the judge while pointing at Mann. The defendant accused Mann of not allowing him to see the evidence against him in his case.

Brewton confirmed with the judge that the defendant has the right to see all of the evidence that will be presented against him during the trial and asked for a postponement to give him time to acquire an attorney and review the evidence.

Judge Middleton said she found reasonable cause to postpone the trial and sent the duo’s case to reception court, where Judge Melissa Phinn severed the cases. Brewton is scheduled for reception court on April 11, 2023, and Corprew is scheduled for trial on June 5, 2023, according to the Maryland Judiciary website.