Co-Defendants’ Shooting Case Involving Drug Organization Transferred to Federal Court

By Andrew Michaels - April 19, 2023
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

A two-co-defendant case involving a drug organization-related shooting is being transferred to federal court following its dismissal in Baltimore City Circuit Court on April 18.

Defense attorneys Maureen O’Leary and Robert Cole, representing Dajuan Rheubottom and Ravanna Cornish, respectively, joined a city prosecutor who informed Judge Jeannie Hong that the duo’s attempted murder case is being transferred to federal court.

Judge Hong dismissed the case, given the transfer.

Both defendants were scheduled to begin jury selection Tuesday morning.

The conspiracy to first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and two weapons charges against both Rheubottom, 25, and Cornish, 41, date back to Sept. 18, 2021, when Baltimore Police heard gunfire and responded to East Monument and North Rose streets. According to court documents, officers found a 47-year-old victim with multiple gunshot wounds on the 700 block of N. Milton Avenue.

A crime scene technician later found four 9mm shell casings, an Apple iPhone, drinks, and bloody clothing at the scene, while officers retrieved CCTV surveillance footage from the 700 block of North Rose Street. Footage showed the co-defendants each firing a gun at the victim, who ran to the 2500 block of East Madison Street.

Court documents state that the victim was sitting on the front steps of a row home in the area and talking to a man—later identified as Cornish—who was leaning up against a parked car. Cornish then pulled out a gun, walked over to the victim, and opened fire.

Rheubottom, who was identified as the man across the street, was seen chasing and shooting at the victim after Cornish began firing. The co-defendants returned to the 700 block of North Rose Street and left the area in separate cars.

“Your affiant has reason to believe that the victim and the suspects are components in a drug organization that is responsible for drug distribution and numerous acts of violence in the City of Baltimore,” court documents state.