Man Accused of Ordering Murder Held Without Bail

Baltimore Court Seal

Thank you for reading Baltimore Witness.
Help us continue our mission into 2025 by donating to our end of year campaign.

Donate Now

A Baltimore man accused of ordering a murder was denied bail on Sept. 15 at Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Antuan Dubose, 32, is charged in connection with an incident in which a man was shot and killed on the 1800 block of West North Avenue on June 10. He is charged with first-degree murder and firearm use in a violent crime.

Excluding the current case, Dubose has no prior criminal charges nor any mental health issues on record. 

According to the prosecution, the co-defendant in this case, Justin Westbrook, shot the victim, Damon Bailey, after an argument. 

The prosecution is alleging that the incident was gang-related, and Dubose is the one who told Westbrook to pull the trigger. The prosecutor said Dubose is allegedly a high-ranking gang member. 

The prosecution also implied that there was video surveillance of the act itself; however, Westbrook’s defense attorney, James Rhodes, previously said the video simply shows the three men, who are allegedly involved, running from the scene.

The defense attorney for Dubose, Brandon Mead, told the judge on Wednesday that Dubose is a married man who financially and emotionally supports his five children, who are five to 13 years old. He has been working the same security job for two years and previously worked in construction. He has also started working towards his welding diploma.

Mead also told the judge that Dubose takes medication for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma. These illnesses put him at a greater risk for contracting COVID-19, Mead said.

Mead said there is a “very strong” defense against the charges, adding that the timeline put forward by the prosecution is inconsistent. 

He asked for Dubose to be held on home detention; however, the judge rejected the request.