Jury Selection Begins for Homicide Defendant’s Fourth Trial

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Jury selection for Levar Cooper‘s fourth murder trial began on March 24.

Over the span of four years, Cooper has had three mistrials, all ending in a hung jury.

The 47-year-old is charged with first-degree murder in connection to the May 10, 2021, shooting of 43-year-old Larry Randall on the 1100 block of Washington Boulevard. He is also charged with firearm use in a felony-violent crime, carrying or wearing a handgun, having a handgun in a vehicle on a public road, and a felon in possession of a firearm.

Counsel discussed cellphones that Cooper was found to be in possession of. One of the cellphones remains in custody since it was recovered in 2021. During the proceeding Monday, the whereabouts of the second phone wasn’t mentioned.

According to the prosecution, investigators were able to extract the phone’s password in late 2024 and its data on March 17.

Michael J. Tomko, defense attorney for Cooper, said he was out of the country the week prior and was unable to download the phone’s data. He said he only began examining the phone evidence on March 23.

Tomko requested a dismissal of all cellphone evidence due to the quick turnaround. The defense would have to “change our strategy we’ve had for four years,” he said.

The prosecution discussed four main points of evidence found in the phone: a factory reset one day after the murder, the contact information of the case’s main identifying witness, multiple web searches of different Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and web searches of homicide maps within Maryland.

According to court documents, witnesses identified Cooper in video footage during police interviews. Footage from a New City Mart convenience store and Bob’s Bar on Washington Boulevard showed a suspect wearing all black get out of a Mercedes, shoot 43-year-old Randall, stand over him and shoot him again.

It remains unclear whether Cooper owned the cellphone admitted into evidence because its billing records link to the home address of the mother of Cooper’s child. Four days after the murder, Cooper was arrested at the same address.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Paul J. Cucuzzella inquired whether either party would be opposed to a continuance of the hearing. Tomko objected and the prosecution offered no opposition.

Judge Cucuzzella said he will decide whether to admit the phone into evidence at a later date.