Missing Footage Results in Trial Recess for Murder Defendant

Thank you for reading Baltimore Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

A trial continued before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeannie Jinkyung Hong for the 2023 murder of 23-year-old Mason Kelly.

Jared Ford, 23, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of firearm use in a felony violent crime, having a loaded handgun in his vehicle, having a loaded handgun on his person, firearm possession with a felony conviction, illegal possession of a registered firearm, attempted first-degree murder, and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in relation to incidents on Feb. 26 and March 2, 2023.

On July 12, Ford’s defense attorney, Roya Hanna, questioned a BPD detective about Ford’s treatment while he was being interrogated.

The detective said she only used legal interrogational tactics, such as mentioning evidence the department did not have.

Additionally, the detective discussed discrepancies between Ford’s statements during his interrogation, saying Ford claimed he didn’t remember which car he was in on the scene, only to later say he wasn’t present at all.

A possible delay was discovered, when counsel revealed that neither side had the interrogation footage of a victim who was shot in the thigh on March 2, 2023.

Hanna also said she received body camera footage from the prosecution during trial yesterday, and did not have enough time to review it.

Judge Jinkyung decided to put the trial on hold to allow time for Hanna to review footage with Ford over the weekend.

Trial is expected to continue on July 15.