Jury Acquits Man Accused of Fauji Grocery Mart Shooting

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A jury has found 29-year-old Matthew Lipscomb not guilty for an attempted murder at Fauji Grocery Mart exactly six years to the day of the shooting on March 1, 2017.

After a five-day trial and one day of jury deliberations, Lipscomb was found not guilty of attempted first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, having a handgun on his person, and firearm possession with a felony conviction on March 1 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gregory Sampson.

During her closing argument, defense attorney Natalie Finegar remained adamant that the State’s Attorney’s Office did not prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, citing the prosecution’s lack of evidence connecting Lipscomb to the shooting at 2342 East Monument Street.

“We know that six prints were recovered, but we can’t say it came from [the defendant’s hand],” said Finegar, who noted that other fingerprints found at the scene were never tested. “[The prosecution] has not done their job, unfortunately.”

During the trial, the prosecutor told jurors that Lipscomb used his left hand to open fire on a man inside the store in front of the store owners and their children. While firing, security cameras showed the suspect push open the entrance’s glass door with his right hand before leaving.

Finegar added that it took five months to submit a request for Lipscomb’s prints.

“Why wait five months?” she asked.

“There is no doubt who the shooter is,” the prosecutor said to the jury earlier in the proceedings.

Fingerprints were not only lifted off of the door, but the defendant also bragged about his involvement to two friends.

“[One of the friends], who never saw or was shown video, knew details about it that were not released to the public,” the prosecutor said. “The defendant told him details, specific details.”

Both friends testified in Lipscomb’s trial.

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