February Trial Date Set for McCulloh Street Murder

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Despite a large amount of evidence still pending, counsel scheduled a trial date for a 28-year-old murder defendant in Baltimore City Circuit Court Sept. 20.

Maurice Jones is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, having a handgun in a vehicle and on his person, having a loaded handgun in a vehicle and on his person and two counts of firearm possession with a felony conviction for allegedly killing Montez Barrett April 24.

The prosecutor admitted multiple forms of evidence were still under review, such as DNA, firearms and latent prints. She said she was also still waiting on hospital records from Sheppard Pratt, where the defendant was when he was arrested.

Jones’ attorney Brandon Thornton rejected the prosecution’s offer of life, suspending all but 60 years for first-degree murder with a concurrent 20 years, the first five years without the possibility of parole, for firearm use in a felony violent crime on his client’s behalf.

Judge Melissa M. Phinn scheduled Jones’ five-day trial to begin on Feb. 12, 2025.

According to a Baltimore Police Department press release, 23-year-old Barrett was killed on the 1200 block of McCulloh Street.