First-Degree Murder Defendant Acquitted Following Appeals 

By Dana Beckwith , Kylah Chacko - June 14, 2024
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A first-degree murder defendant was acquitted on all counts, June 13, before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John Howard, after several appeals to his original conviction because a witness to the crime changed his story.

Accompanied by attorney Koryn High, Ronald Cornish, 37, was found not guilty of first-degree murder, as well as firearm use in a felony violent crime, firearm possession with a felony conviction and having a handgun in a vehicle. 

High told the jury the history of the case dating back to 2012 and pointed out the number of times the witness has changed his story. He noted that early in the investigation, the witness said he was never at the scene, but after phone records were obtained in 2015, he later said that he was at the scene but was not involved in the shooting.

Cornish was accused of murdering Warren Boone, 26, the night of Nov. 7, 2012. Cornish, a suspected drug dealer, was initially found guilty of murder in November 2016.

He allegedly met up with two men, one of whom was Boone, to purchase marijuana on the 5100 block of Goodnow Road.

The third man, whom the prosecution described as a “middleman,” got out of the vehicle, leaving Boone and Cornish inside. 

That witness later testified that he heard the two of them struggling inside the vehicle, which was followed by two gunshots. The witness also claimed  Cornish hid Boone’s body at his request. The so-called third man said he took money out of Boone’s pockets and set the victim’s vehicle on fire. 

Ultimately, the jury sided with Cornish believing that the evidence against him was inconclusive.