Homicide Defendant Accepts Plea Offer

By Cynthia Eapen [former] - October 1, 2021
Court | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

A man charged with first-degree murder accepted a plea offer on Oct. 1 during reception court at Baltimore City Circuit Court. 

Melvin Cloude, 31, is charged with attempted first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, reckless enganerment, two counts of felony use of a firearm in a violent crime, first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first and second-degree assault, having a handgun on his person, having a handgun in a vehicle, discharging firearms, and firearm possession with a felony conviction. 

During Friday’s hearing, Cloude was offered a plea of 20 years, suspending all but five, and two years of supervised probation for first-degree assault. Additionally, the defendant was offered to have his two other cases dismissed, which included robbery, assault, and theft charges. 

Cloude and his defense attorney, John Cox, accepted the offer agreed with Judge Melissa M. Phinn.

According to the Maryland Judiciary website, Cloude was convicted for robbery in 2010 and then violated probation in 2014.

Judge Phinn scheduled his sentence for the assault to start on April 26, 2022. It is unclear why the judge scheduled the sentence to begin in April.