Defendant’s Murder Charge Reduced to Voluntary Manslaughter in 2019 Homicide

By Andrew Michaels - December 22, 2021
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A 31-year-old man accused of fatally shooting Tavon McDonald two years ago had his murder charge reduced to voluntary manslaughter while accepting a plea on Dec. 20 at Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Baltimore resident Dominique Byrd was originally charged with first-degree murder, firearm possession with a felony conviction as well as two counts of attempted first-degree murder and three counts of firearm use in a felony violent crime.

During reception court on Monday, the prosecution and defense attorney John Cox agreed to a plea of 10 years, suspending all but time served, with five years on supervised probation for voluntary manslaughter; and a consecutive 20 years, suspending all but 10, the first five years without parole, and five years on supervised probation for firearm use during a felony violent crime.

Cox argued that the victim in the incident fired first, saying the incident was partial self defense.

According to the prosecution, Baltimore Police Department officers were called to the 300 block of N. High Street around 1:50 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2019, for a report of gunfire. Police arrived and found McDonald with multiple gunshot wounds as well as four 9mm cartridge casings.

McDonald was taken to Johns Hopkins where he was pronounced dead.

At the conclusion of Byrd’s hearing, Judge Melissa M. Phinn accepted the plea.