Jury Hears Closing Arguments in a ‘Cold-Hearted Kill’

By Jordan Fine - April 12, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

“No [witness] has said Mr. Brown has done this shooting,” said defense attorney Benjamin Charlton, defending 36-year-old Nathan Brown in a homicide that occurred in April 2022. 

Now, two years later, Brown faced closing arguments in his trial in front of Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy. 

Brown is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime Te prosecutor agreed to dismiss a firearm possession with a felony conviction charge.

“This is just the result of a cold-hearted kill,” the prosecutor argued in front of the jury. He claimed that Brown was the perpetrator due to video footage of Brown getting out of a gold Chevy Malibu at the murder scene and allegedly walking down the street where the crime occurred–the 4100 block of Frederick Avenue.

Brown then allegedly shot and killed 42-year-old Correll McQueen. 

Based on a detective’s testimony, the prosecution also argued that Brown had lied during the investigation, claiming the suspect vehicle had been stolen.

“How could it be that he [the defendant] was driving his vehicle if it was stolen?” the prosecution questioned. 

In response, Charlton claimed that the video footage was unclear and one couldn’t tell who was getting out of the car. The crime itself was also not captured on surveillance video and none of Brown’s DNA was found at the scene.

“They don’t have enough to get what they want,” he argued of the prosecutor’s case. 

Chalton asked the jury to keep in mind the lack of evidence. “They are grasping at straws,” he said.