Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Bridget Schiffer heard testimony and closing arguments on Oct.17 in the trial of a 22-year-old Baltimore native charged with attempted murder.
Derrien Gamble, 22, faces 39 charges for his alleged involvement in a retaliation shooting that occurred Feb. 4 on the 1400 block of Medford Road. Baltimore Witness previously reported that Gamble and three co-conspirators allegedly fired several rounds at two victims, ages 60 and 17 at the time, who were exiting a vehicle. Gamble himself was 19 years old at the time.
Four months prior, Gamble was sentenced to life, suspending all but 15 years, for the murder of 19-year-old Tyree Bell. Bell was killed nine days after the Medford Road shooting, on the 2900 block of E. Preston Street.
Defense attorney Natalie Finegar argued that the video and phone conversations presented by the prosecution as evidence against Gamble were not enough to convict the defendant. She cited the fact that none of the victims or witnesses testified at trial, and the lead detective on the case failed to complete necessary tasks such as issuing subpoenas for potential suspects or pursuing further investigation on the cell site towers that were used to connect Gamble to the shooting.
The prosecution pointed to numerous conversations between Gamble and his three alleged co-conspirators that allegedly incriminated the group, as well as surveillance footage and Gamble’s dubious alibi that he was at the Cheesecake Factory during the shooting. The victims’ car was riddled with nearly 40 bullet holes.
The jury is currently deliberating.
