New Judge Assigned to Homicide Case Following Judge's Recusal

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On Dec. 2, a Baltimore man rejected a plea of life for first-degree murder before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn.

Byron Erin Lewis and his defense counsel James Sweeting III, rejected a plea of life, suspending all but 60 years with six years supervised probation for first-degree murder and 20 years with the first five years without the possibility of parole for the use of a firearm during a felony violent crime.

Lewis, 40, is charged with first-degree murder, the use of a firearm during a violent crime, having a handgun on his person, and two counts of possession of a firearm with a felony conviction in connection to the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Shammarh Jenkins on the 2200 block of Reisterstown Road on June 12, 2021.

Initially, the prosecutor suggested a trial date for March 2023; however, the judge assigned to the case had to recuse herself due to being the next of kin to the defendant, according to the prosecutor.

Apparently, the defendant worked in the courthouse and worked closely with many judges. This led to Judge Phinn reassigning the case to another judge who was less familiar with the defendant.

Lewis’s trial is scheduled for April 11, 2023, with Judge Jeffery M. Geller presiding.

New Judge Assigned to Homicide Case Following Judge’s Recusal