Homicide Defendant Returns to Postponement Court for Third Time

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A homicide defendant appeared in postponement court at the Baltimore City Circuit Court for the third time this month.

Deshon Thomas allegedly killed Antonio Clayton on the 2200 block of Sidney Avenue on Dec. 3, 2019.

Thomas, 47, is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a violent crime, having a loaded handgun on his person, and firearm possession with a felony conviction.

On behalf of his client, defense attorney Howard Cardin rejected an offer for life, suspending all but 70 years, for first-degree murder and firearm use in a violent crime on June 24.

Thomas first went to postponement court on June 8, but no deal was available then due to a recent change in council. The case was further postponed on June 9 due to interest in amending a plea offer.

Thomas will return to court for trial on Dec. 3 with Judge Yvette M. Bryant presiding.

The prosecution expects to call about seven witnesses and to introduce evidence from two separate shootings. Thomas was the victim in one of the shootings. Cardin said he will call one alibi witness in the trial.

Judge Melissa M. Phinn also scheduled a trial for two co-defendants connected to a homicide on March 10.

Melvin Cloude, 30, was offered a plea deal of life, suspending all but 25 years, with five years of probation for attempted first-degree murder, and five years to be served concurrently for firearm use in a violent crime. Defense attorney John Cox rejected the offer.

Cloude is also charged with first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, carrying a handgun on his person, carrying a handgun in a vehicle, discharging a firearm, firearm possession with a felony conviction, and another count of firearm use in a violent crime.

He will go to trial on Oct. 1 with his co-defendant Sade Thompson.

Thompson, 30, is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, firearm use in a violent crime, conspiracy to carry a handgun, accessory after the fact, making a false statement to an officer, causing a false statement to be made to an officer, and obstructing and hindering a police officer.

Thompson was offered a plea deal of life, suspending all but 15 years, with five years of probation, for attempted first-degree murder; five years without parole for firearm use in a violent crime; and time served for being an accessory after the fact. Under the deal, which panel attorney Sharon May rejected, all three sentences would have been concurrent.