Homicide Defendant’s Aunt, Cousin Set Him Up, Defense Says

By Alyssia Davis [former] - April 11, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

During closing arguments for a homicide trial, defense counsel claims a homicide defendant’s family members set him up.

Ronald Haskins, 24, is charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm during a violent crime, having a handgun on his person, and possession of a firearm with a felony conviction in connection to an incident on the 1400 block of Broening Highway. 

During closing arguments on April 7, Haskins defense attorney, Josh Insley, suggested that Haskins cousin and aunt could have set him up seeing as they testified against him. He spoke about a motion light at the aunt’s home, which could have been used to frame the defendant.

Insley also said there was another possible suspect, saying there was significant doubt that the defendant committed the crime. 

Haskins defense attorney began his closing argument by mentioning there was no evidence that this murder was premeditated. He continued by saying that all the evidence provider by the prosecutor points to second-degree murder. 

“Taking the evidence at hand does not lead to first-degree murder, the prosecutor wants you to believe there was an argument with the victim that escalated,” Insley told the jurors.  

He reiterated that the crime was not premeditated, and all the evidence pointed out that the victim and the defendant got into a dispute. 

Insley also said the prosecution tried to sway witness testimony. Five witnesses said the shooter wore black pants with his coat closed. The prosecutor tried to make the witness add 30 pounds to the shooter, he said. 

The prosecutor starts by saying that evidence falls into two categories, with the first one being what happened on the incident date and the second being who is responsible for killing the victim, Richard Pearson. The prosecutor also said that we don’t know much about the victim except that he worked for a trucking company, but we do know more about the defendant. 

We got a chance to hear about Haskins, we learned that he was the man who shot the victim, and we also know that he is known as “Savage” in the streets, said the prosecutor. 

Haskins was identified as “Savage” by his Instagram handle, the primary officer and his aunt.

On Jan. 21, 2020, Haskins was presented with a picture of a man in a green coat. He identified the man in the photo as himself. His aunt who identified him as the man in the photo wearing the green coat. 

The man in the green coat shot the victim, according to eyewitness testimony. The eyewitness also identified the coat the shooter wore as well as the door he went into. 

“I killed a man in front of aunt Cathy’s house,” the defendant told his sister during a call he made from jail.

On one of the phone calls the defendant made from jail, he gave a description of when and where the incident took place. During the second phone call, the defendant goes into more details.

At the time of the crime, Haskins was prohibited from carrying a handgun following a prior conviction in December 2018.

Jury deliberations began at noon on April 7. Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Yolanda A. Tanner is presiding over the trial.