Homicide Defendant Awaits Jury’s Verdict

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Closing arguments came to an end as jury deliberations began on April 29 for a homicide defendant on trial for a 2020 murder before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John S. Nugent.

Sean Braxton- Carter, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, use of a firearm during a felony violent crime, wearing/ carrying a loaded handgun on his person, possessing a handgun in a vehicle on public roads, and possession of a firearm with a felony conviction in connection with a shooting that occurred on Feb. 2, 2020.

During closing arguments, Braxton- Carter’s defense attorney, Hunter Pruette, told the jury that the witnesses brought before them did not provide any evidence. “All the witnesses that were present did not show their work or they were not present to see my client at the scene,” he said.

The defense also argued that the prosecutor’s case is built on nothing but lies. Pruette said the prosecutor’s job is to show the strongest evidence to convince the jury that his client committed the murder, but they couldn’t do that.

“All the questions that you have in your head should fill your head with a suspicion that will lead you to believe that my client is not guilty,” Pruette said.

However, during the prosecution’s closing statements, she told jurors that her job is to present strong evidence and build a case because she doesn’t want to waste anyone’s time.

Addressing defense counsel’s closing statements, the prosecutor said the defense’s job is to prove that the officers involved didn’t do their job to obtain the proper phone records. However, the police can’t obtain all phone records because of a right to privacy.

The prosecutor also addressed the soundless body-camera footage, assuring the jury that the audio was muted, but didn’t hide anything.

Referring to a change in the eyewitness’s statements, the prosecutor told jurors that the eyewitness’s story did change but only because she decided to tell the truth two months after the incident occurred.

“It was hard for the witness to tell the truth at first because she was scared of the defendant,” the prosecutor said. “He said he would kill her and her family if she didn’t lie.”

On March 8, Braxton-Carter’s co-defendant Tashonda Childs pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. The plea is currently under the consideration of the court. The defendant’s cases were separated in October.