Parties Spar Over Validity of Cell Phone Evidence in A Murder Case

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Testimony continued in the case of a 27-year-old homicide defendant before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Yolanda A. Tanner on Aug. 9.

Ameer Gittens is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime and firearm possession with a felony conviction in relation to the murder of Antwan Andrews on Oct. 31, 2021.

The first Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officer to arrive at the scene showed body-worn camera footage from the night of the shooting and other evidence found at the scene including a pair of pants with money inside and bullet casings.

Additionally, the analyst who reviewed the cell phone site location data testified about tracking information linked to the defendant’s Google account. The prosecution argued that since the cell phone tracking information aligned with the car fleeing the crime scene after the crime was committed, there was a likelihood Gittens was responsible.

However, Gittens’ defense attorney, James Sweeting III, mentioned the analyst wasn’t informed whether he the cell phone tracking information forwarded by the police was actually Gittens.’

Further, even though the Gmail account may belong to Gittens, there was a chance a different person had access to his it. Additionally, Sweeting said the email account allegedly belonging to Gittens was linked to a different recovery cell phone than the numbe analyzed.

Documents from the District Court of Maryland show that Andrews was found with several gunshot wounds on the 3500 block of Leeds Street and was pronounced dead on the scene. When Gittens was arrested, an officer recovered a gun consistent with the casings at the scene on Leeds street.

The afternoon session of the trial was adjourned for medical reasons.