Opening Statements Start for Murder Defendants In W. North Avenue Homicide Case

By Cooper Griffiths [former] - July 28, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On July 28, Defense attorneys argued that the defendants did not perform the actions of shooting at all while the prosecutor claimed that they did shoot the victim before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Yolanda A. Tanner.  

The assistant state’s attorney informed the jury that the dispute was over remarks that were apparently made about one of the defendants, Theodore Richards. She also shared that the victim was found to have a total of 14 gunshot wounds.

“This [shooting] was a message that you don’t disrespect Mr. Richards,” the prosecutor said. 

Defense attorney Janet Andersen, representing co-defendant Antuan Dubose, argued that it was a different man who shot the victim, neither of whom were the defendants. Dubose has two brothers who were at the scene at the time of the shooting and left the scene with the suspected shooter. 

Defense attorney Brandon Patterson, representing Richards explained in his opening statement that there was no firearm found during the Baltimore Police Department’s investigation and that he believes the victim’s murder cannot be linked to his client. 

“Cell phones are what they want you to worry about!” he declared, mentioning that an FBI agent is expected to testify and provide information on the co-defendants’ multiple cell phone records.

According to court documents, video footage shows the two co-defendants and a third individual confronting the victim eight minutes before the shooting occurred at the 1800 block of W. North Avenue. Witnesses stated that they saw a man, named Justin Westbrook, shoot the victim multiple times. The victim was found to be Damon Bailey.

There were multiple phone calls between Westbook, Dubose and Richards before and after the shooting.

Dubose, 33, and Richards, 37, are both charged with two counts of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in a felony violent crime in connection to an incident that occurred on June 10, 2020. 

Following Friday’s testimony, the trial is expected to resume on July 31 before Judge Tanner.