Convicted Murderer’s Defense Counsel Questions Integrity of Officer Who Testified at Trial

By Alyssia Davis [former] - January 26, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

Defense counsel for convicted homicide defendant Willie Billinger argued for a retrial for her client, citing the integrity of a Baltimore Police officer who testified during the initial trial.

On Jan. 25, defense counsel Deborah Levi presented Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn with former state’s attorney Marliyn Mosby’s list of over 300 officers whose integrity has been questioned in the recent past. Levi said that Billinger realized the officer who testified at his case was on the list when it was released on May 26, 2022.

Levi believed the officer who testified in the trial “committed perjury, made false reports and false statements,” having had a previous issue of misconduct in 2004.

“In the 2004 case, the officer also made false statements and falsified information and attempted false arrests,” said Levi, noting that this may have contributed to an unfair trial for her client.

The prosecutor countered that the disclosure from 2004 would not have changed the outcome of the defendant’s trial. 

“He was alleged to have committed a false statement,” the prosecutor said. 

The prosecutor explained that the officer in question had those allegations against him appealed and dismissed, excluding the report of misconduct.

Judge Phinn continued the hearing until March to allow the prosecutor to get procedural clarification on how an officer on the integrity list was able to testify in the trial. Billinger’s hearing is set to continue on March 15.

Billinger was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder on Aug. 2, 2016, and sentenced to 60 years in prison in connection to the fatal stabbing of Earline Thomas and Howard Martin, both 53, on March 5, 2017. 

According to court documents, officers were called to the 2400 block of Paul Street for reports of a suspicious death. The responding officer was approached by the 911 caller, who told him that there was a foul odor emitting from an apartment. 

When the officer entered the home, he found Thomas and Martin, both of whom had multiple stab wounds.