Prosecution Indefinitely Postpones Attempted Murder Case During First Day of Trial

By Baltimore Witness Staff - April 28, 2022
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

The trial for an attempted murder defendant was put on the STET docket after the first day of trial before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Yolanda A. Tanner on April 27.

Dorian Griffin, 26, is charged with attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, use of a firearm during a violent crime, conspiracy to commit use of a firearm during a violent crime, and reckless endangerment for the incident that occurred on May 29, 2020.

On Wednesday, the prosecution requested the case be placed on STET, which would make the case inactive for a period of time, with the condition that Griffin stay away from the victim.

This request came shortly after the victim refused to testify regarding a statement she made to detectives regarding this incident in June 2020. At that time, she had another case pending.

Griffin accepted the conditions of STET. 

Patrol officers were alerted to the 1600 block of Vincent Court, where they located a black female suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The crime scene found articles of bloody clothing, blood on the ground, and six 9mm shell casings. 

Richardson, at the time, said she had gotten into a verbal altercation with her ex-girlfriend, Kimberly Rogers, 28, and another female assailant, Shanequa Parham, 30. The two women left but returned with two males driving a white Honda sedan. Another altercation ensued, and one of the males, presumably Griffin, pulled out a gun and began shooting at the victim. 

The two female co-defendants both accepted plea deals in September 2021 for conspiracy to commit first-degree assault.

During opening statements, the prosecution laid out the events of that day to the jury, including the altercation between the victim and the female co-defendants, to the moment the defendant presumably shot her. This was, according to the prosecution, a “recruit to shoot” defendant. 

In attempt to prove his case, the prosecutor called three witnesses to the stand on the first day, including a western district patrol officer, a crime lab technician and the victim.

The victim, who is currently incarcerated at Cecil County Department of Corrections, said she did not recall who was with her during the time she was shot, nor did she recall speaking to a detective after the incident. 

The victim was able to identify herself in a video shown by the prosecution but, soon after, she said she no longer wished to testify because she felt her testimony would be incriminating. 

Defense attorney, Stephen Tully, reminded the jurors of the importance of their duties to remain unprejudiced and to fairly assess the evidence, mentioning discrepancies the victim made when describing her shooter. 

Shortly after, the prosecution requested the trial be put on STET until she could learn more about the victim’s case and speak to her defense attorney.