Retrial Delayed for Suspect in Homicide Case Involving Two Brothers

By Amna Syed [former] - December 21, 2023
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Dec. 20, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn postponed a hearing for 28-year-old homicide defendant Jimmy Murphy. 

Murphy is being retried for first- and second-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, two counts each of first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, firearm use in a felony violent crime, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, having a handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun on his person, second-degree arson and two counts of altering physical evidence. 

On March 9, a jury found Murphy guilty of multiple charges for the murder of Cornelius Bruce and an attempted murder victim, who had been convicted of murdering Cornelius’s brother, Cordelle Bruce. 

Murphy’s defense attorney submitted a motion for a retrial on the grounds that the defense wasn’t aware that the attempted murder victim, who was 19-years-old at the time of the incident, sent a letter to the prosecution after the trial saying Murphy was innocent.

In the letter, the attempted murder victim said he was never contacted as a witness by the prosecution and that Murphy never shot anyone.

Judge Phinn asked the assistant state’s attorney what the plea offer for this case was. She replied that she was putting together a new offer because of the differences in his convictions. 

Judge Phinn asked both attorneys what day they wanted for trial. The prosecutor explained that she had no availability until August 2024 beyond the available time frame for the docket. Thus the request for the continuance. In the interim, she could propose another trial date and send Martin Cohen, Murphy’s defense attorney, some additional evidence as part of discovery.  

Judge Phinn continued the hearing to Jan. 23, 2024. 

According to Baltimore Witness, the attempted murder victim and Cordelle argued over a marijuana drug deal outside the Alameda Shopping Center on Jan. 14, 2020. The attempted murder victim and another suspect allegedly shot and killed Cordelle on the 1100 block of East Belvedere Avenue.

Baltimore Witness reported in an attempt to avenge his brother’s death, Cornelius was shot and killed by the defendant when he initially tried to shoot at the attempted murder victim. To cover it up, Murphy lit a car on fire with Cornelius Bruce’s body in it. 

Baltimore Police Department investigators found Cornelius Bruce in the car with a gunshot wound to his head on January 20, 2020 on the 2800 block of Saint Lo Drive.