Montford Avenue Homicide Defendant Rejects Plea Deal

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On July 19, a 33-year-old homicide defendant rejected a plea deal in reception court before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland.

Martez Brooks is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, firearm possession with a felony conviction and carrying and transporting a handgun in connection to the July 4, 2022, murder of 42-year-old Leroy Jeter III. Brooks was represented by Daniel Mooney.

The prosecution offered a plea deal to Brooks of life, suspending all but 40 years, with five years of supervised probation for first-degree murder and a concurrent 20 years in prison for firearm use in a felony violent crime. Mooney rejected the plea offer on Brooks’ behalf.

According to a Baltimore Police Department (BPD) press release, on July 4, 2022, officers were canvassing the area of the 400 block of North Montford Avenue, where they found Jeter III with multiple gunshot wounds. He was declared dead at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

On Feb. 1, police arrested Brooks.

Brooks is scheduled to appear in court for a motions hearing on Sept. 20. His three-day trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 24 before Judge Alan C. Lazerow.