Judge Dismisses Case Against 2019 W. Pratt Street Murder Defendant

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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Paul E. Alpert dismissed a 2019 murder defendant’s case on June 20, after he determined the prosecution violated his right to a speedy trial.

The ruling was in response to a motion from Quron Williams’ defense attorney, Lawrence Rosenberg, who said that the prosecution violated his client’s right to a speedy trial.

Judge Alpert approved the motion, citing a Supreme Court ruling from the 1960s in which the court established four standards that need to be considered when determining a speedy trial right violation. These include the length of the delay, the reason for the delay, the time and manner in which the defendant asserted this right, and the degree of prejudice that the defendant suffered because of the delay.

Judge Alpert found that the prosecution violated all four of these conditions and, therefore, the defendant’s right to a speedy trial.

Judge Alpert based the ruling on the fact that the prosecution’s main witness had been arrested and could have been easily brought to testify but wasn’t. The prosecution responded that the witness was in federal custody in Texas at the time.

According to charging documents, the incident occurred near the rear alley of the 1300 block of W. Pratt Street. Video footage shows Williams and another man exiting a vehicle and walking onto S. Carey Street. The defendant can be seen leaving the scene in the vehicle.

The second victim identified Williams as the person who shot at them and killed Jamaine Carraway.

As stated on the Maryland Judiciary website, Williams, 32, was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, two counts of firearm use in a felony violent crime, manslaughter, possessing a firearm with a felony conviction, having a handgun on his person and having a handgun in a vehicle.