Sentence Modification Granted for Convicted Attempted Homicide Defendant

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On Nov. 10, a Baltimore man convicted of first-degree attempted murder had his motion for a reduced sentence granted before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey M. Geller.

Judge Geller granted defense counsel Victoria Kawecki and defendant Ronaldo Freeman’s request for sentence modification and sentenced the defendant to life in prison, suspending all but 20 years with five years of supervised probation for attempted first-degree murder along with five years to run concurrently for firearm use in a felony violent crime.

The previous sentence was life, suspending all but 25 years for attempted first-degree murder.

On Aug.12, 2019, 33-year-old Freeman was convicted of attempted first-degree murder and use of a firearm during a felony violent crime in connection to an incident on Aug. 6, 2017.

According to the prosecution, the defendant is accused of pulling a handgun on his victim. The victim was able to run away when the gun jammed, but the defendant allegedly was able to still strike him five times in the leg.

Kawecki argued that the defendant was allegedly robbed the day of the incident, which accounted for his tension that day. She also said due to Freeman’s handicap, he has been targeted for his medication and has a history of being the victim of robberies as he was seen as a “weak man.” Kawecki said in the past, Freeman has had difficulty getting the police to respond for help.

The prosecution argued against the modification, noting while incarcerated, the defendant had threatened staff in 2017 and was found with controlled substances hidden in his prosthetic leg.

However, after hearing the defense’s argument, the prosecution was not opposed to a minor sentence modification.