Defendant Wants Evidence Review Before Accepting Plea Agreement

By Racquel Bazos - November 28, 2023
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

On Nov. 28, a 43-year-old attempted murder defendant was unable to make a decision on either of the two plea offers available to him before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn.

Ricardo Clarke is charged with attempted first-degree murder, first-degree attempt to kill, first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, firearm use in a felony violent crime, having a loaded handgun on his person and having a handgun on his person in connection to Feb. 21 incident.

The prosecution initially offered Clarke a sentence of life, suspending all but 25 years, for attempted first-degree murder. Clarke would also be required to serve five years of probation, complete the Abuser Intervention program at the House of Ruth women’s shelter, have no contact with the victim and undergo alcohol screening and treatment if necessary. 

However, after negotiation with Clarke’s stand-in defense attorney Deborah Levi, the prosecutor conveyed a second offer. For attempted second-degree murder, Clarke could serve 40 years, suspending all but 10 years, with a concurrent five years without parole for firearm use in a felony violent crime. 

At this point, Levi told the court that Clarke hadn’t fully gone over the evidence against him with his attorney, James Sweeting III, and that he didn’t want to accept a plea offer without a complete review.

The prosecutor agreed to leave the second offer open for Clarke’s consideration. Judge Phinn continued the hearing to Jan. 4, 2024. 

According to a Baltimore Police Department press release, investigators suspected Clarke of shooting a 32-year-old woman in a domestic dispute on the 1000 block of Herndon Court. He was arrested outside of the emergency room where the victim was being treated.