Attorneys delivered closing arguments before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John A. Howard in the case of 26-year-old Kahlil Calloway, who is charged with attempting to murder two individuals who were sitting in a vehicle in East Baltimore the day after New Year’s on the 2600 block of E. Federal Street.
The gunfire allegedly began when Calloway entered the victims’ vehicle and said, “Sorry,” and began shooting at them. He then exited the vehicle and fled on foot. The victims, a male and a female, later advised that the family of a man named “Woe” lives approximately five houses down from where the shooting occurred. “Woe” was allegedly identified as Calloway via a photographic array.
While describing the evidence against Calloway, the prosecution emphasized that the male victim, who declined to testify, informed detectives that the female victim knew the individual who shot them.
“Snitches get stitches,” said the prosecution. “That’s one of the many reasons why [the male victim] didn’t come in here and take the stand.”
The prosecution noted Calloway’s DNA was likley found on the passenger door handle of the vehicle where the shooting occurred. DNA analysis provided a 131 billion times probability that Calloway’s DNA was on the vehicle.
The prosecution criticized Calloway’s testimony, saying he appeared in court with a “script in his head” and recited it repeatedly.
“Don’t buy it,” the prosecution said. “Don’t buy what he’s selling.”
Calloway, who testified during trial, noted he has resided for more than two years in an apartment provided to him through an organization dedicated to helping the disabled or disadvantaged. He also noted that he is currently taking antipsychotic medications. During his arrest for the shooting, he originally believed the warrant was for a failure to appear for a traffic stop.
Calloway claimed he was very close and hung out often with the male victim, who he worked with at a private school for girls. He said he saw the female victim often, but only knew her well enough to exchange greetings.
During cross-examination, Calloway testified that he never owned or possessed a gun, and was unfamiliar with the difference between revolvers and semi-automatic models.
Calloway’s Attorney, Marci T. Johnson, urged jurors to focus on inconsistencies in witness identification and the lack of physical evidence directly linking Calloway to the shooting.
While Johnson described Calloway’s appearance as tall, dark-skinned, with a heart tattoo on his face, the female victim’s initial description of the shooter depicted him as light-skinned, with “chinky eyes.”
The victim reportedly received three separate photographic arrays and picked from the second one a man who “looked nothing like the defendant,” Johnson noted.
Johnson also questioned why the prosecution never brought the male victim to testify. In closing, she asked the jury to weigh not just what was presented to them, but also what was missing.
The jury is currently deliberating.
