Judge Postpones Shooting Defendant’s Trial Again

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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Dana M. Middleton postponed a non-fatal shooting defendant’s trial on Sept. 26 due to the prosecutor’s poor health.

Michael Crispino is charged with two counts each of first- and second-degree assault, two counts of reckless endangerment, firearm use in a felony violent crime and discharging firearms in connection to an incident on Aug. 29, 2021.

A stand-in prosecutor appeared on a Zoom call before Judge Middleton to request a postponement of Crispino’s trial because the assigned prosecutor had Covid-19 symptoms.

Maryland State Senator and defense attorney Jill Carter stood in for Crispino’s usual defense attorney, Warren Brown.

In an interview with Crispino’s family members after the hearing, they expressed frustration with the continued delays preventing a speedy trial. One of them noted that Crispino’s court case has been ongoing for over two years.

Judge Middleton set the new three-day trial for Jan. 22, 2024, with Judge Lawrence P. Fletcher-Hill expected to preside over the case.

According to documents from the District Court of Maryland, an employee of Nationwide Professional Services was attempting to serve Crispino papers when Crispino told him to leave and discharged a handgun outside of a residence on the 1500 block of Parksley Avenue.

A SWAT team, a Drug Diversion Unit, a District Action Team and a negotiation team responded to the scene. A negotiator talked with Crispino for approximately three hours before he agreed to turn himself in.

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