Defendant Receives Maximum Sentence for 2022 Royal Farms Killing

By Racquel Bazos - February 2, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Feb. 2, a 52-year-old former private security guard convicted of the second-degree murder of a 26-year-old man at a Royal Farms appeared in Baltimore City Circuit Court for sentencing.

Kanisha Spence was found guilty of second-degree murder and firearm use in a felony violent crime on Aug. 31, 2023, for killing Marquise Powell after the two engaged in a verbal dispute at a Royal Farms on the 1800 block of Washington Boulevard. 

At Thursday’s hearing, the prosecutor told the court there was “no justification” for the defendant’s actions despite her claims of self-defense. He asked Judge Kendra Y. Ausby to give Spence the maximum sentence for both charges, 40 years for second-degree murder and a consecutive 20 years, the first five years without the possibility of parole, for firearm use in a felony violent crime. 

Powell’s family filled the courtroom, with both Powell’s uncle and mother addressing Judge Ausby. Powell’s uncle described his nephew as a consummately supportive man who would do anything for his family. 

“They’ve taken away someone who played so many roles,” he said. “He reached everybody with his heart.” 

Powell’s mother mourned that neither she nor Powell’s daughter would ever see him again. She supported giving Spence the maximum penalty. Describing a video shown during the trial where Spence was eating as Powell was lying on the ground bleeding, his mother said, “That really tore my heart out.”

Defense attorney Roya Hanna, who explained Spence’s actions as “emotional eating” at trial, told the court her client genuinely perceived Powell as a threat the night of Oct. 30, 2022. 

“Emotions were out of control,” she said. “The worst thing in the world happened.”

Hanna also argued that the maximum penalty would not be a deterrent in this case because Spence did not intend to harm, let alone kill, anyone that day. She asked Judge Ausby to give Spence 15 years in prison, the lower end of the sentencing guidelines’ recommendation of 15 to 25 years. 

Spence told Powell’s family, “I apologize.” 

Judge Ausby was unconvinced by Hanna and Spence’s presentation. She said that since Spence testified to working at that same Royal Farms for years without a gun, “She should’ve known what to do without having to use her gun.” She pointed out that Spence had both mace and time to call 911 before fatally shooting Powell. 

Judge Ausby recalled listening to the 911 call during Spence’s trial. She was struck that Spence ignored the 911 operator’s instructions on how to render aid to Powell and didn’t even try to relay those instructions to Powell’s sister, who was on the ground with him. 

The judge referred numerous times to the “callousness” of Spence’s actions, eventually saying, “Callous is probably not even a strong enough word.” 

Spence received the maximum penalty of 60 years from Judge Ausby, who said Spence’s behavior constituted an aggravating factor in her sentencing considerations. Hanna is expected to file an appeal on Spence’s behalf.