Homicide Case Declared a Mistrial

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A homicide case was declared a mistrial on Oct. 24 in Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Daaon Spears, 18, was accused of murdering 16-year-old Deanta Dorsey during a shooting on the 4400 block Edmondson Avenue at the Edmondson Village Shopping Center on Jan. 4, 2023.

Spears is charged with 31 counts, including two counts of first-degree murder, five counts of firearm use in a felony or violent crime, carrying a handgun, loaded handgun on a person, possession of a firearm as a minor, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, four counts of attempted second-degree murder, four counts of first-degree assault, four counts of second-degree assault, three counts of first-degree conspiracy to murder, and illegal possession of a regulated firearm.

Spears, who is still being held, will now have to go through another trial with a different jury because the verdict wasn’t unanimous.

During the trial, the prosecution had an expert witness from the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) who described pieces of evidence, including photos of headphones, a backpack, DNA swabs, a blooded shirt and a magazine with some bullets in it.

However, Spears’ defense attorney, Brandon Taylor, questioned the witness about whether the bullets could fit the magazine.

“It’s a different brand of bullets, not a different type of bullets,” the witness replied.

Spears’ trial was heard in front of Judge Robert K. Taylor.