Four Men Reject Plea Offers in 2020 Homicide

By Katherine Strauch [former] - July 29, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects |

Four co-defendants each facing four counts of first-degree murder rejected plea offers on July 29 during reception court at the Baltimore City Circuit Court.

The prosecution offered Baltimore residents Jabez Johnson, Kevin Cleveland, Damien Mickens, and Antoine Trent a plea of life, suspending all but 70 years, for two counts of first-degree murder and one count of handgun use in a crime of violence.

Defense attorneys Larry Rogers, Kenneth Man, Natalie Finegar, and Stephanie Salter each rejected the offer on behalf of Johnson, 19; Cleveland, 27; Mickens, 18; and Trent, 20; respectively.

Johnson, Cleveland, Mickens, and Trent also face two additional counts of handgun use in a crime of violence and one count each of first and second-degree assault in connection to an incident on April 10, 2020.

Johnson, Mickens, and Trent are also charged with possession of a firearm as a minor.

The co-defendants are scheduled to return to reception court on Aug. 10 to schedule a trial.

Judge Melissa M. Phinn also presided over another homicide case from 2020.

Baltimore resident Nazar Williams is charged with manslaughter and two traffic violations for an incident on May 25, 2020.

The prosecution offered Williams, 24, a plea of 10 years for manslaughter.

Defense attorney John Hassett said he had not relayed the plea deal to Williams and could not accept or reject the offer at this time.

Williams is scheduled to return to reception court on Sept. 1 to accept or reject the offer.