Co-Defendants’ Joinder Motion Gets December Hearing

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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland set a December motions date to determine next steps for two men accused of a December 2023 fatal shooting.

Joseph Coates, 40, and Joseph Walker, 49, are both charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, firearm use in a felony violent crime and firearm possession with a felony conviction for their alleged involvement in the murder 26-year-old Marvin Jackson on Dec. 15, 2023.

Since the prosecutor only met with the victim’s family recently, she did not make a plea offer in court Oct. 4.

Despite having a September trial date, Walker’s new defense attorney Staci Pipkin just entered the case Oct. 3. That’s because Walker’s previous defense attorney, Josh Insley, moved from private practice to the Baltimore County Office of the Public Defender. Coates’ defense attorney, Janet Andersen, represented him in court Friday.

Judge Copeland scheduled a joinder motion hearing for the afternoon of Dec. 3. The hearing will determine if the co-defendants will be tried together.

According to a Baltimore Police Department press release, Jackson was shot on the 1800 block of Aiken Street and later died despite medical intervention.