Following five days of trial before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Dana M. Middleton, 41-year-old Joseph Coates of Severn has been convicted of first-degree murder and six other charges in connection to the death of Marvin Jackson, 26, following a fatal drug deal-turned-shooting in East Baltimore over two years ago.
Jurors reached their verdict on Feb. 4, a day after the state and defense attorney Jerry Rodriguez delivered closing arguments and rested their cases.
Coates is now set to be sentenced on the charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery, firearm use, possession of a firearm as a prohibited person, and two conspiracy charges.
His co-defendant, 51-year-old Joseph Walker, was convicted last July on similar charges, but has yet to face sentencing.
Charging documents state that surveillance cameras on the 1800 block of Aiken Street captured Walker shooting Jackson in the neck with a laser-equipped handgun before rummaging through the victim’s pockets, while Coates appeared to search the area around the victim’s body.
Jackson was pronounced deceased within minutes of the incident.
