Prosecutor Causes Delay in Retrial for 2016 Murder Defendant

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A second-degree murder defendant previously convicted in the death of Johniece Shepard had his retrial date postponed on April 3 in a Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Laser Womack’s, 26, trial was set to begin on Monday before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John Addison Howard, but the case was sent to reception court for a new start date.

Womack’s defense lawyer Deborah Dennis-Warner requested a postponement before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn because she needed more time to prepare for the trial due to new evidence and a new witness.

The defendant was found guilty by a jury in February 2016, of second-degree murder in the homicide case of 21-year-old Shepard, and two counts of attempted second-degree murder for shooting two additional victims.

Womack and his defense were granted their appeal because the court failed to advise the defendant of the nature of his charges.

According to an unreported opinion by the Court of Special Appeals, on the night of the incident, Womack and two men, one of whom was his co-defendant Deshawn Richardson, entered the residence of one of the victims in search of drugs. When the victims informed them that they did not know where any drugs were, they were shot multiple times.

Police were called to the scene and found Sheppard dead from eight gunshot wounds.

Judge Phinn scheduled Womack’s retrial on Sept. 25 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Martin P. Welch.