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By
Racquel Bazos [former]
- November 7, 2023
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On Nov. 7, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Charles J. Peters scheduled the trial of a murder defendant in the new year despite his attorney’s objections.
Roger Alvarado-Mendoza is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, having a handgun on his person and carrying a handgun within 100 yards of the public in connection to a March 6 incident.
Alvarado-Mendoza’s attorney, Antonios Heper, objected to the prosecution’s suggested trial date of April 22, 2024. He said that since his client has allegedly been assaulted in jail, the trial should be expedited for the sake of his safety. Heper also claimed that the April trial date would “fade the memories” of witnesses needed for the defense.
The prosecutor said that the April date reflected the availability of her out-of-state witnesses, as well as being the first date she had available after eight specially set murder trials.
Judge Peters specially set Alvarado-Mendoza’s five-day trial to begin on April 22, 2024.
When Heper asked if he would transfer his client to a Howard County jail, Judge Peters said he would not decide on that in this hearing.
According to a Baltimore Police Department press release, Alvarado-Mendoza is charged in the killing of 16-year-old Izaiah Jaydin Carter on the 5900 block of East Pratt Street.