Homicide Defendant Awaits Report on Criminal Responsibility

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After an appearance in mental health court on July 17, a homicide defendant is still awaiting a decision about criminal responsibility for his alleged role in a 2020 shooting.

Jermaine Sanders, 33, is charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, first-degree assault, two counts of firearm use in a felony violent crime, having a loaded handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun in a vehicle and firearm possession with a felony conviction in connection to a March 29, 2020, incident on the 500 block of North Curley Street that killed 30-year-old Kimberly McCubbin and wounded a second victim.

Representatives from Clifton T. Perkins Hospital, a maximum security psychiatric facility, informed the court that the institution would need an extension to complete an outpatient not criminally responsible (NCR) evaluation for Sanders. That could determine whether fails to understand the consequences of his actions due to mental illness.

With no objection from defense attorney Sharon Bogins, who was standing in for Sanders’ defense attorney, Donald Wright, nor the prosecution, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gale E. Rasin approved the extension and set Sanders’ next appearance in mental health court with the completed evaluation for Aug. 28.

According to previous reporting, a witness informed police that Sanders’ co-defendant set up a drug deal with McCubbin and the shooting’s other victim. Sanders allegedly joined the co-defendant during the incident.
Sanders’ case was moved to mental health court in October 2022. On June 1, 2023, Judge Rasin found Sanders incompetent to stand trial.