Judge Pushes Parties to Propose More Immediate Start Date for Murder Defendant Awaiting Trial

By Ashleigh Joplin [former] - March 1, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

“I’m not going five months past his Hick’s,” said a Baltimore City Circuit Judge to all counsels during a reception court hearing for a man accused of murder on March 1.

Defendant Joseph Jones has a Hick’s date — which is the state of Maryland’s obligation to bring a defendant’s case to trial within 180 days of his or his attorney’s first court appearance — of April 12.

Judge Melissa M. Phinn rejected a proposed date in September, calling it “unacceptable,” and sent counsel back to get a new date. Both parties were unavailable to start the trial before April 12 in addition to the primary detective being in training through July, according to the assistant state’s attorney.

The prosecutor did not have a plea offer for Jones, 37, on Wednesday. She said she would send an offer to defense attorney Augustine Okeke.

Jones is scheduled to start trial on Aug. 24 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones. The trial is expected to last four days.

According to the Maryland Judiciary website, Jones is charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in a felony violent crime, and possession of a firearm with a felony conviction.

On the night of the incident, according to the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), Jones was arrested on Aug. 26, 2022, and charged with the homicide of 37-year-old Eric Christian White on the 1900 block of Edmondson Avenue.