The prosecution offered a murder defendant two pleas Aug. 14 during a reception court hearing before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Copeland.
Taiwan Gray, 29, is charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, and several firearms charges in connection to an April 23 shooting in the rear alley of the 2800 block of W. Cold Spring Lane.
During the hearing, the prosecution offered Gray two separate plea deals, one was a life sentence, suspending all but 55 years, with the first five years without parole for first-degree murder and possession of a firearm. In the other plea deal, the prosecution offered Gray a life sentence, suspending all but 50-60 years for first-degree murder and possession of a firearm.
Gray has one month to decide if he would like to accept the offer or not. If neither offer is accepted, he faces a potential life sentence without parole.
According to charging documents, Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers found the victim suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the chest. He was identified as Mark Nash. Nash was transported to Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
An autopsy conducted the following day determined that Nash died from a single gunshot wound to the chest..Investigators later obtained surveillance footage that allegedly captured the events leading up to the shooting. The footage shows two mopeds traveling on Grantley Avenue before turning onto Willowdale Avenue, with the first moped operated by Nash.
A second moped, carrying two people, follows Nash, according to the documents. One of the individuals allegedly dismounted and ran toward Nash. The footage captures an apparent verbal altercation, followed by a scream and a single gunshot. Both mopeds are then seen leaving the area, with each being operated by a single person.
Nash’s girlfriend told investigators that he frequently spent time in the area where he was killed.
The scooter, bearing Maryland registration, was later recovered by BPD Western District patrol officers on April 26, according to charging documents.
During the investigation, detectives interviewed witnesses and presented a photo array. Gray was positively identified as the person operating Nash’s scooter after the shooting.
If a deal is not reached, Gray’s jury trial is set to begin Dec. 7 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Yolanda A. Tanner.
