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By
Claire Schreiber
- March 28, 2025
Attempted Murder
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Court
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Daily Stories
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Non-Fatal Shooting
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Suspects
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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John. A Howard transferred 64-year-old Norman Moore’s attempted murder case to Judge Melissa K. Copeland for a new jury trial date after the court failed to respond to defense counsel’s request for a not criminally responsible (NCR) assessment on Jan. 2.
Moore faces three counts each of attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, firearm use in a felony or violent crime, as well as additional firearm charges.
Judge Copeland scheduled the trial to begin July 21 and continue through July 23.
According to charging documents, on June 10, 2024, Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers responded to the corner of Brooks Lane and Linden Avenue after a 13-year-old boy called to report someone discharging a firearm.
The boy told officers that he and his friends were playing football in a field near the zoo when they noticed an abandoned house in the 3100 block of Swann Drive and decided to investigate. He described seeing an older man exit the house holding a hatchet in one hand and a gun in the other.
The man allegedly fired two rounds into the air and one round in the direction of the group. The boys fled without any injuries, but the caller dropped his phone as they ran.
Later that day, a BPD officer went to the 13-year-old’s home to interview him and his parents. They later returned to the incident location near Druid Hill Park.
Upon arrival, officers located the boy’s missing phone and requested more units to the scene to investigate the house. Upon entry, officers heard an individual yelling inside. The individual, later identified as Moore, opened the door yelling, “you know what the f*ck I do.”
Moore refused to step out of the building and officers barricaded the building until he complied. Fifteen minutes later, Moore exited the building and was taken into custody.
After units cleared the rest of the building, they found a Rossi M68 .38-caliber revolver with a lock on it. The serial number was “obliterated” and contained four live rounds. They also located three hatchets hanging on the inside of a door.
The matter was originally postponed Jan. 2, 2024, due to a request for an NCR evaluation. Paperwork was sent and signed, but Moore was not evaluated.
Counsel was not notified until defense attorney Marci T. Johnson checked in a few days ago.
The prosecution said they have no choice but to agree and that their witnesses have been ready since the last postponement on Jan. 2.
Following slight difficulties setting a trial date, counsel finally agreed to a three-day trial. They advised the court that they could reach a resolution in two days but scheduled for three just in case.