Defendant Charged in Double Non-Fatal Shooting Gets April Trial Date

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On Jan. 31, a man charged with attempted murder received a trial date during his reception court hearing before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn.

During Tuesday’s hearing, defendant Mario Diaz rejected a plea of life, suspending all but 25 years, with five years of probation for attempted first-degree murder; a consecutive sentence of life, suspending all but 20 years, with five years of supervised probation for attempted first-degree murder; and a consecutive sentence of five years without the possibility of parole for the use of a firearm in a felony violent crime. The defendant would have also been required to register as a gun offender and maintain no contact with the victim and witnesses.

Diaz, 31, elected to retain his Feb. 28 Hick’s date – which is his right to be tried within 180 days of her or her lawyer’s initial court appearance. However, Judge Phinn found probable cause to go beyond this date due to reasons not stated during the hearing.

Judge Phinn scheduled the defendant’s trial date for April 4 before Baltimore City Circuit Judge Dana M. Middleton.

According to previous reporting by Baltimore Witness, Diaz was arrested on July 18, 2022, and is charged with the non-fatal shooting of a 32-year-old male and a 25-year-old male on the 1000 block of S. Potomac Street on July 17, 2022.

Diaz, who is represented by Alex Leiekus and Augustine Okeke, is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, use of a firearm in a felony violent crime, having a loaded handgun on his person, carrying/wearing a handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun in a vehicle, having a handgun in a vehicle, and discharging firearms.

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