Defense Pokes Hole in Lead Detective’s Investigation 

By Alyssia Davis [former] - September 22, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

Defense counsel is challenging the validity of the Baltimore City Police Department’s investigation during the ongoing trial of a 58-year-old Baltimore man charged with the murder of his wife in 2018. 

The lead officer testified as a witness before Baltimore City Circuit Judge Philip Jackson on Sept. 21. The lead officer recalled that officers were called to the 1700 block of N. Bentalou Street for a report of an injured person on Nov. 2, 2018. When officers arrived, they found the victim sitting on the couch in the living room with severe facial injuries. She was also incoherent.

According to a medical examiner, the victim’s cause of death was due to numerous injuries she sustained. Upon arrival, the victim was still alive; however, she died six months later from her injuries from the incident. 

The lead officer mentioned that throughout his investigation, he could not obtain any video footage from city cameras because the videos are automatically deleted after 45 days. He also said there were no phones recovered from anyone at the scene of the crime.

The prosecution questioned whether there had been any other issues with this couple prior to this incident. The lead officer said there was an assault case; however, it was dismissed because the victim, 54-year-old Wanda Diggins, did not show up to court for the hearing.  

During cross-examination, defense attorney Maureen Rowland said that during the investigation, officers failed to note that police only suspected DeShields as the murderer. The defense questioned whether there had been an individual with a weapon who attended the house party prior to the incident who could have actually committed the crime. 

Rowland also noted that Baltimore Police had not found security camera footage of the area putting the defendant in the home at the time the incident took place.