Overbooked Prosecutor Causes Hearing Continuation for Homicide Defendant after Two Previous Postponements

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On May 4, after two previous postponements, a hearing for a 52-year-old defendant charged with a double murder in 2021 was postponed a third time due to a lack of communication between the assigned and stand-in prosecutors.

The stand-in prosecutor informed the court that no plea offer was conveyed to her by the assigned prosecutor for the defendant Shawn Brewton, represented by defense attorney Kenneth Man before Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn.

Furthermore, the stand-in prosecutor informed Judge Phinn that the assigned prosecutor and the defense attorney for the 48-year-old co-defendant, Michael Corprew, were scheduled to begin a separate trial on June 1, causing an overload of cases for the assigned prosecutor.

Judge Phinn expressed how she did not understand why the assigned prosecutor would double-book herself like that and continued the hearing until May 5 to account for the assigned prosecutor’s presence.

As stated on the Maryland Judiciary website, Brewton is charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm during a felony violent crime, possession of a firearm with a felony conviction, having a loaded handgun on his person, and having a loaded handgun in his vehicle.

According to court documents, at 8:25 p.m. on Aug. 11, 2021, officers from the Baltimore Police Department were notified of a shooting at 3500 W. Belvedere Avenue where they found the victim, William Smith, lying in the first-floor entryway of the residence, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Smith was transported to the hospital and later pronounced dead. At the scene, multiple cell phones were found, as well as two 9mm shell casings and one projectile near Smith’s body.

Court documents state there had been ongoing domestic disputes between Smith and his ex-girlfriend, resulting in a physical altercation between the two the night before the homicide. In response to the domestic dispute, Brewton and his associate “Butter,” who was later identified to be Corprew, shot and killed Smith at his residence and proceeded to flee the scene immediately.

Brewton and Corprew were identified through photographic arrays, cell phone tracking, and video surveillance footage showing the two had been together before the murder.

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