Murder Defendant Has Trial Date Set for February 2023

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A Baltimore man charged with murder had his trial date set on Nov. 2 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn.

Nelson McNorton had his new attorney Tony Garcia speak on his behalf during the hearing. Prosecutors offered the defendant a plea of life in prison, suspending all but 25 years with five years of supervised probation for first-degree murder, and a concurrent sentence of 20 years in prison with the first five without parole for the use of a firearm in a felony violent crime in connection with an incident that occurred on Oct. 10, 2019.

As reported by the Baltimore Sun, McNorton was arrested and charged with the murder of 24-year-old Antonio Modica on the 1900 block of W. Pratt Street.

Garcia rejected the plea on behalf of his client.

According to the Maryland Judiciary website, McNorton is charged with first-degree murder, three counts of attempted armed robbery, three counts of using a firearm in a felony violent crime, first-degree assault, and having a handgun on his person.

Judge Phinn scheduled the defendant to begin trial on Feb. 28, 2023, with Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gregory Sampson.

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