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By
Estephany Sanchez
- September 3, 2025
Attempted Murder
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Court
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Shooting
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Videos
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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeannie J. Hong heard testimony from four witnesses on Sept. 2 during the trial of Korey Hopson, 23, and Charles Robinson, 27, who are both charged with first-degree murder and multiple related offenses stemming from a May 2024 shooting.
Prosecutors allege that Hopson and Robinson were involved in a deadly shooting on May 25, 2024, on the 800 block of N. Dukeland Street. Both defendants face nine charges each: first-degree murder and assault, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder, and multiple firearm offenses for killing Denzel Johnson, 17, and injuring another victim during a drive-by shooting
During Tuesday’s hearing, the prosecution presented forensic evidence collected from a rented white 2023 Nissan Rogue that investigators believe was connected to the case. Photos taken before analysis showed the vehicle to be intact, and items recovered from it included a bottle of lighter fluid, a lighter, a cartridge casing, a black face mask, an airline ticket, and two cellphones found in the glove compartment.
A forensic expert testified that fingerprints were recovered from multiple areas, including the interior of the front passenger side door, the lighter fluid bottle, and the front driver’s doorframe. Some fingerprints were reported as inconclusive due to the limited quality and quantity of data.
Tony Garcia and Donald Wright, defense attorneys for Hopson and Robinson, challenged the reliability of the state’s evidence, arguing that DNA swabs collected from the steering wheel, gear shifter, and face mask may have been cross-contaminated because they were stored in paper bags near a room with other evidence. They also questioned the fingerprint analysis, highlighting that forensic specialists could not determine how long fingerprints had been present on the surfaces.
One witness repeatedly responded there was “no way to tell,” a point the defense emphasized to cast doubt on the reliability of the evidence presented.
A Baltimore Police Department (BPD) detective testified three surveillance cameras, including a Baltimore CitiWatch camera, and a Ring camera captured portions of the shooting. Maps were presented showing the paths of the vehicles before and after the shooting.
During cross-examination, Wright and Garcia aggressively challenged the detective’s interpretations of the video evidence, questioning whether the Nissan Rogue was actually the car that was seen in the footage.
The courtroom was packed with multiple members of the defendants’ families, with five deputies present to maintain order.