Father of Defendant’s Girlfriend’s Children Provoked Shooting in New Year’s Day Homicide, Defense Argues

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The home of Andre Bailey was still decorated for the holidays when gunfire erupted on North Glover Street on Jan. 1, 2023. According to defense attorney Roland Harris, wrapping paper covered the front door and Christmas lights donned the entrance.

Around 3:45 a.m. that New Year’s Day, Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers were called to the 700 block of North Glover Street, where two victims were shot, one of whom died from her injuries.

Bailey, 27, is currently charged for the murder of 17-year-old D’Asia Garrison and the attempted murder of a 31-year-old man. He chose to proceed with a bench trial on Jan. 4 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey M. Geller.

His charges also include firearm use in a felony or violent crime, having a handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun on his person and firearm possession with a felony conviction.

After the prosecutor declined to give an opening statement on Thursday morning, Harris told the judge that his client was living at the residence with his girlfriend and her two children. The father of her children, who lived one block away on North Lakewood Avenue, made “an unexpected visit” that evening and “shots went off.”

Harris said the gunfire damaged a mailbox and the outside of the home, with broken glass and blood found on the front door step. Although he did not divulge any details behind the shooting during his opening statement, the defense attorney said the father of Bailey’s girlfriend’s children brought “an unknown but substantial number of people” with him when the shooting happened and later gave “nothing short of bogus statements” in his police interview.

Bailey was trying to defend his household, Harris added.

Court documents state Garrison was found at the scene with two gunshot wounds to her torso and died less than an hour later at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The man who Harris accused of inciting the shooting was also shot in his upper torso.

Bailey’s trial proceeded with testimony on Thursday morning and is expected to continue on Jan. 5.