Non-Fatal Shooting Defendant Complains About 2024 Trial Date

By Racquel Bazos - November 7, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

On Nov. 7, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Charles J. Peters presided over the scheduling hearing for a robbery defendant who has been waiting two years to be tried.

Rico Blick is charged with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit second-degree assault, theft less than $100, conspiracy to commit theft less than $100, firearm use in a felony violent crime, conspiracy to use a firearm in a felony violent crime, firearm possession with a felony conviction, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, possession of firearm in a controlled dangerous substance offense, having a handgun on his person, conspiracy to have a handgun on his person, having a handgun in a vehicle, having a handgun in a vehicle on a public road, discharging firearms, having a gun within 100 yards of the public and illegal possession of ammunition in connection to a Dec. 7, 2021, incident.

The prosecution suggested a trial date of April 2, 2024. Defense attorney Jerry Rodriguez did not object, but noted that he had earlier available dates that the prosecutor could not agree on. 

Blick, 29, expressed frustration with the April date telling the court he’s been in jail for over two years with no trial.

The prosecutor put on the record the last time Blick was set for trial, his former attorney, Andre Mahasa, told the court on the first day of that trial that he had a conflict of interest and could not represent Blick. 

The first time the case was set for trial, Blick fired his defense attorney, George Harris, before opening statements. 

Judge Peters agreed to schedule the trial in April.

According to documents from the District Court of Maryland, a victim approached a Baltimore Police Department officer and told him that he was robbed and shot at on the 1800 block of Pennsylvania Avenue.

The victim gave all the cash he had — $60. As the suspect drove away, he fired one shot at the victim. The next day, police saw a car and two occupants matching the victim’s description. After a brief chase, police arrested Blick and his codefendant, Kevin Ellis. 

Blick was convicted of robbery in a 2019 case.