Opening Statements Underway in Non-Fatal Shooting Trial Regarding Neighbor Dispute Over Parking Cone

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“This is not an attempted murder.”

Defense attorney Angela Shelton acknowledged her client, Christopher Williams, at the trial table before a panel of jurors on Aug. 16 during her opening statement.

Shelton informed jurors that they would learn the whole story about what happened on March 27, 2022, when the prosecution said Willams attempted to kill his neighbor after a dispute over a parking cone. Williams was allegedly looking for a place to park along the 300 block of Gwynn Avenue and saw a space blocked by a parking cone. The defendant removed the cone and parked his car.

After learning of this, Williams’ neighbor assaulted the defendant, leaving behind a trail of blood at the scene, Shelton said. The defendant allegedly fired his gun into the air three times, which Shelton told jurors was corroborated by the location of shell casings.

Earlier in the proceeding, the prosecutor told the jury that this case was about “choices and consequences.” The victim’s wife reported that she heard the defendant parking in a space that she and her husband had blocked with a parking cone. The confrontation went from verbal to physical when Williams retrieved his gun and fired it in the air.

As testimony begain, the trial is expected to continue on Aug. 17 with Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lynn S. Mays presiding.

Williams is charged with attempted first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, firearm use in a felony or violent crime, discharging firearms, firearm possession with a felony conviction and having a loaded handgun on his person.

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