Opening Statements Delivered in ‘a Case About Silence’

By Sarah Mullen [former] - April 10, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

With Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy presiding parties debated the guilt or innocence of 30-year-old Nathan Brown who is accused of killing 42-year-old Correll McQueen on April 6, 2022.

Brown is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime and firearm possession with a felony conviction.

The prosecutor claimed that Brown was the perpetrator due to video footage of Brown getting out of a gold Chevy Malibu at the murder scene and allegedly walking down the street where the crime occurred–the 4100 block of Frederick Avenue.

On April 10, the prosecutor also presented video footage from the defendant’s liquor store showing the victim “bumping into” the defendant without apologizing–which the prosecutor viewed as motive given the defendant’s “hot temper.” 

Defense attorney Benjamin Charlton agreed that there was “no question” about whether the shooting was premeditated. However, he claimed that the shooter was not his client, and no witnesses or evidence could positively identify the suspect as Nathan Brown.

Additionally, investigators from the Baltimore Police Department did not locate the defendant driving the gold Chevy Malibu until days after the shooting and waited even longer to arrest him. 

The shooter caught on video was apparently wearing Adidas sneakers, and the defendant says he only wears Nike. 

Charlton concluded that “This is a case about silence.” 

“Mr. Brown says it’s not him, nobody says it is,” he said.