Defendant Rejects Plea in 2022 Attempted Murder Case, Judge Schedules Trial

By Kiara Francis [former] , Ashleigh Joplin [former] - March 21, 2023
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

The attempted murder defendant in a September 2022 shooting case appeared in Baltimore City Circuit Court on March 20 to schedule his trial date. 

Defendant David Jones and his attorney Dalia Weintraub, who was standing in for Benjamin Charlton, appeared in court on Monday before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn to hear a plea offer from prosecutors before scheduling a trial date. 

The prosecutor offered Jones, 54, a plea of 20 years, suspending all but eight years with three years of supervised probation for first-degree assault and five years without the possibility of parole for the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony violent crime. Both offers were set to run concurrently. 

Jones rejected the offer. 

According to the Maryland Judiciary website, Jones is charged with one count each of first and second-degree attempted murder, one count each of first and second-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony violent crime, firearm possession with a felony conviction, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, CDS possession of a firearm, having a handgun on his person, illegal possession of ammo, discharging a firearm, and two counts of reckless endangerment in connection to an incident that occurred on Sept. 25, 2022.  

Wientraub advised Jones of his Hick’s rights, which is his right to have a trial within 180 days of his or his attorney’s first appearance. The defendant elected to retain his rights, but Judge Phinn found probable cause to go beyond the date due to the availability of counsel.

Judge Phinn scheduled Jones to appear for trial on July 11 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John Addison Howard.