Non-Fatal Dellwood Avenue Shooting Defendant Rejects Plea

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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn scheduled a trial for an attempted murder defendant after he rejected a plea on May 22.

An assistant state’s attorney offered defendant Tyqwaun Kells a plea of 30 years, suspending all but 20 years and four years of probation for attempted first-degree murder, and a consecutive five years without the possibility of parole for the use of a handgun in a felony violent crime in connection to an incident that occurred on Oct. 19, 2022. The defendant would have also been required to register as a gun offender.

Kells, who is represented by Josh Insley, elected to maintain Hick’s right, which is his right to be tried within 180 days of his or his attorney’s first court appearance. However, Judge Phinn found probable cause to go beyond the defendant’s date of July 22.

Judge Phinn scheduled Kells’ trial to begin on Aug. 28, before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Dana Middleton. The trial is expected to last three days.

According to the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), Kells was arrested on Dec. 19, 2022, and charged with shooting a 19-year-old boy following an alleged dispute on the 1400 block of Dellwood Avenue.