Pleas Under Negotiations Rescheduled for June, August

By Andrew Michaels - June 3, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Suspects |

Two cases involving plea offers in one non-fatal shooting and two homicides remain under negotiation. The cases will not return to postponement court until June and August, respectively.

During postponement court on June 3, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn heard plea deals for homicide cases from 2019 and 2020 as well as for a non-fatal shooting case from 2020.

The case of Baltimore resident Raekwon Williams, 20, was among Thursday’s cases for the attempted murder of two 21-year-old men last September. According to WBAL-TV, Williams and another man, Qwantay Smith, allegedly shot two men who were sitting in their car on the 4100 block of Frederick Avenue.

Williams is charged with attempted first-degree murder, second-degree murder, two counts of first-and second-degree assault, two counts of firearm use in a violent crime, reckless endangerment, illegal possession of a firearm, having a handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun on his person and illegal possession of ammo.

The prosecution’s plea offer included life, suspending all but 25 years, the first five years without parole, and three years supervised probation for attempted first-degree murder; life, suspending all but 25 years, the first five years without parole, and three years supervised probation for firearm use in a violent crime; and five years for first-degree assault. According to the plea deal, the sentences would run concurrently. 

Counsel for the defense and prosecution said they are in active negotiations and will return to postponement court on Aug. 24.

A July 2019 homicide case against Cockeysville resident Calvin McCrea was also offered a plea deal. McCrea, 37, is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a violent crime, firearm possession with a felony conviction, and having a loaded handgun in a vehicle.

The plea offer included a sentence of life, suspending all but 50 years, and five years probation for first-degree murder and 20 years, with the first five years without parole, for firearm use in a violent crime. The sentence, under the deal, would run concurrently.  

McCrea was also offered a plea deal in another case, which included 25 years for first-degree assault and 20 years for firearm use in a violent crime. Under the deal, the sentences for this case would run concurrently with the homicide case.

Defense counsel said the offer is under negotiation, but they anticipate it will go to trial.

Judge Phinn said the trial would likely be heard in early 2022 and the case was rescheduled for postponement court on Aug. 30.

The case of Baltimore resident Carl Spencer, 20, was also on the docket Thursday. According to the Baltimore Sun, Spencer and two others, Rashard Dixon and Jarell Speaks, allegedly attempted to rob a pizza delivery driver on the 4000 block of West Cold Spring Lane and then shot him in the shoulder as he tried to escape.

Spencer faces more than 40 weapons, robbery and assault charges, including firing a gun within the city, as well as attempted first- and second-degree murder and conspiracy to attempted first-degree murder.

The prosecution offered a plea deal of 40 years, suspending all but 15 years, with the first five years without parole for attempted first-degree murder, firearm use in a violent crime, and having a handgun on his person.

With negotiations ongoing, the case was rescheduled for postponement court on June 21.