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Andrew Michaels
- April 19, 2023
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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Suspects
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Victims
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Defense counsel for 23-year-old Darrean Fleming argued that the prosecution’s alleged evidence against his client was insufficient as it does not confirm the identity of the shooter responsible for the murder of Amare Burrus in December 2022.
Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Kendra Ausby presided over bail review on April 18 when Fleming and his attorney, Michael Tomko, appeared via Zoom. Tomko explained that Fleming has no criminal history as well as support from his mother and aunt, both of whom also attended virtually.
According to Tomko, the 21-year-old victim was found with a 9mm handgun on the 4200 block of Pimlico Road and was allegedly firing the gun at another person known to Fleming. Tomko informed the court that no one knows how Burrus was shot.
“That’s horrible evidence that this young man with no record is suddenly involved in a homicide,” Tomko said.
A city prosecutor, who stood in for the assistant state’s attorney assigned to the case, responded that although the victim was found with a gun, video surveillance shows Burrus firing at someone who was previously seen talking to Fleming and one of his co-defendants, 23-year-old Garry Lee Morris.
Video also captured Fleming, Morris, and 21-year-old Wesley Lambert getting into a gray Acura TL and driving away after the shooting. Fleming and Morris were identified as the driver and front passenger, respectively, while Lambert was seated in the back of the car.
Burrus did have a gun, the prosecutor said, but “he was also shot in his head.” Casings were also recovered from the scene.
“It’s terribly concerning that [the defendant] had all of this support and then found himself involved in conspiring to murder the victim in this case,” Judge Ausby responded, noting that the shooting happened in the middle of the day around 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2022.
Given her concern for public safety, the judge denied Fleming’s bail.
Fleming and his two co-defendants are all charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two weapons charges and are scheduled to appear in reception court on July 19.