Joinder Motion in Limbo in a Homicide

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On March 31, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Hope Tipton presided over a back-and-forth hearing for Paul Artis, 27. During the proceeding a stand-in prosecutor refused to argue a joinder motion filed by his office to connect two related cases.

Judge Tipton ultimately sent the case back to Judge Melissa K. Copeland to consider a postponement date.

Artis is charged with first-degree murder and firearm use in a violent crime in connection to the Aug. 1, 2024 fatal shooting of 38-year-old Ondrell Mayo in the 900 block of E. Patapsco Avenue. He was arrested Aug. 6.

The prosecutor originally filed a motion to join Artis’ case with a co-defendant charged as an accessory. The stand-in declined to argue the motion since it was re-filed on March 27.

Meanwhile, counsel for Artis and his co-defendant also cited short notice in objecting to the motion. The original deadline to file was Nov. 1, 2024, which the defense had already waived.

Judge Copeland will decide whether to postpone the case to allow the assigned prosecutor to argue the motion.