Homicide Defendant Rejects Plea Offer

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A 25-year-old homicide defendant rejected a plea offer in reception court before Baltimore City Circuit Judge Judge Melissa K. Copeland on June 28

Tanare Williams, 25, was charged with first-degree-murder, firearm use in felony violent crime and having a handgun on his person in connection to an incident on Jan. 4. Williams was represented by defense attorney John Cox.

The prosecution offered a plea deal of life, suspending all but 50 years for first-degree-murder and a concurrent 20 years, the first five without the possibility of parole, for firearm use in a felony violent crime. The deal also provided Williams serve five years of supervised probation and register as a gun offender upon release. Williams rejected the plea deal.

According to a Baltimore Police Department press release, investigators believe that Williams allegedly shot and killed 31-year-old Antoine Johnson during a fight on the unit block of North Eutaw Street. Authorities arrested Williams on Jan. 22. The five-day trial is scheduled to begin on Oct. 8 before Judge Jeffrey M. Geller.