Judge Schedules Trial Date for Defendant in Attempted Murder Case

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A Baltimore man charged with the non-fatal shooting of a 40-year-old man had his trial date set before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn on Nov. 29.

John Ray is charged with attempted first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, use of a firearm in a felony violent crime, possession of a firearm with a felony conviction, three counts of possession of a firearm with a felony conviction, having a handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun on his person, having a handgun in a vehicle, having a loaded handgun in a vehicle, illegal possession of ammunition, discharging firearms, possessing a firearm with a drug conviction, and malicious destruction of property valued at more than $1000 in connection with an incident that occurred on May 1.

During the reception court hearing on Tuesday, the prosecutor offered Ray a plea of life, suspending all but 50 years with five years of supervised probation for first-degree attempted murder and a concurrent sentence of 20 years in prison, the first five without the possibility of parole for the use of a firearm in a felony violent crime. The offer was rejected by Ray and his attorney Benjamin Charlton.

Ray did not elect to waive his Hick’s date, which is his right to be tried within 180 days of his or his attorney’s first court appearance.

Judge Phinn found reason to go beyond his Hick’s date because not all members of counsel were available before then. She scheduled the trial for the defendant to begin on April 11, 2023, with Judge Althea M. Handy presiding. The trial is expected to last four days.

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