Closing statements were presented before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones on Aug. 18 for the Belair Road murder of Dante Gladney, 34–allegedly at the hand of 43-year-old Jamaal Smith.
Smith is charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime, illegal possession of a handgun in a vehicle and possession of a firearm by a person with a prior felony conviction.
Charging documents indicate that Gladney was shot in a shopping center on the 5900 block of Belair Road near a Dollar Tree store and a PNC Bank. Surveillance footage from the store showed a silver Toyota Solara pull into the lot before the driver got out and fired multiple shots at Gladney, then fled.
Footage from a nearby gas station about 20 minutes earlier apparently showed the same car and driver, wearing an Orioles hat and a dark hoodie, according to charging documents. Multiple witnesses identified the driver as Smith.
During the closing statements, the prosecution reiterated that the surveillance footage from a gas station convenience store shows that the defendant’s clothing is consistent with that of the shooter. Additionally, she stressed that footage of the shooting shows the defendant firing at the victim.
She also highlights\ed the threatening nature of text messages allegedly sent from the defendant’s phone to the victim, for example, “Do or die.” “I need my money,”and “I am going to go to see your mother.” She ended stating that, “He made the conscious decision to shoot the victim,”
Defense attorney Roya Hanna explained to the jury that more important than the evidence is whether that evidence is strong enough to convince beyond reasonable doubt.
“Would you buy a house based on the evidence provided?” She asked. She also added that the passenger in the car can be observed pointing at the victim and that the victim was already stumbling before the defendant reached him.
The case now heads to the jury.
