Defense Warns of Conflicting Evidence in a Non-Fatal Shooting Case

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Before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Troy K. Hill, on July 17, the defense attorney’s opening statement warned the jury that witnesses will give conflicting versions in an attempted murder trial.

Terrell Parker, 27, is charged with attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, firearm use in a felony violent crime, reckless endangerment, illegal possession of ammunition, discharging a firearm within 100 yards of the public and two counts of illegal possession of a regulated firearm. These charges are in relation to an April 13, 2023, incident on the 1700 block of Normal Ave.

During opening arguments before Judge Hill, Parker’s defense attorney, Donald Wright, said that during the investigation of the case, the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) administered four photo arrays to four different witnesses. Two of the witnesses identified Parker as a suspect and two did not. Wright told the jury that one of the witnesses who did not identify Parker as a suspect in a photo array was the victim.

Wright argued that the victim’s negative photo array identification would be one of the most important pieces of evidence in the case and told the jury to consider that when they heard the other witnesses’ testimony.

The prosecution also focused on the photo arrays in their opening statements emphasizing the ones that identified Parker as a suspect. Both positive arrays were from eyewitnesses who were across the street during the incident. The prosecution told the jury there was body-worn camera footage of the victim, Ring doorbell camera footage of the defendant in the area during the time of the shooting and a 911 call that detailed the incident.

Testimony began July 17 and is scheduled to continue July 18.