A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge agreed to reschedule the homicide trial of Darren Tomlinson on Aug. 20 to the end of the month in light of witness availability.
During a reception court proceeding, the prosecutor informed Judge Melissa K. Copeland that a Baltimore Police detective and another necessary witness were unavailable through Aug. 28 and Sept. 5, respectively. Tomlinson’s six-day trial was previously scheduled to begin on Aug 18 before Judge Lynn S. Mays, but was rescheduled for reception court to allow counsel to discuss the timing.
The defendant is represented by attorney William Porter.
After much back-and-forth between Judge Copeland and counsel on Thursday, all parties agreed to set the trial on Aug. 31 before Judge Mays, addressing the detective’s availability as well as when the other witness would be needed at trial.
Tomlinson was originally charged alongside his brother, Dylon Tomlinson, for the shooting that killed 43-year-old Hasan Howard and injured a 35-year-old man on Jan. 19, 2025. Court documents state that police found 34 9mm shell casings and two projectiles on the 400 block of Washburn Avenue.
Video footage was also recovered and showed the suspects arrive in the area in a dark-colored Hyundai Kona and approach Hassan’s Dodge Ram 1500. The suspects then separated to either side of the vehicle and opened fire.
Baltimore Witness previously reported that Dylon Tomlinson’s charges of first-degree murder, conspiring to commit first-degree murder and multiple assault and firearm offenses were dismissed in April by the prosecution, admitting they “couldn’t charge him.”
Darren Tomlinson is facing similar charges.
