Surveillance Footage Disputed in Teen Murder Trial

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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy presided over closing arguments on June 5 in Samijae Canada‘s murder trial.

Canada, 17, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one each of felony firearm use, firearm possession as a minor, and carrying a handgun in connection to the fatal shooting of Robert Wagner, 18, at the intersection of the 600 block of Cherry Blossom Way and the 600 block of W. Saratoga Street.

The prosecution focused on what the suspect wore in the hours leading up to the murder. Canada was allegedly seen in surveillance footage from a food market, wearing gray athletic shorts and a black Under Armour shirt with a reflective symbol on the back. He was also identified as waving a firearm and pretending to shoot his friends. At a later point, an individual in a similar outfit and holding a gun was observed wandering around the neighborhood where the shooting took place.

The prosecution explained that the timelines of the shooting matched the timestamps in the footage. Canada and two companions were allegedly seen running away from the murder scene minutes after the shooting.

Approximately a day later, police say Canada was spotted throwing a firearm under a car as police passed.

During a search of Canada’s home, a forensic DNA analyst with the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) recovered what is likely Canada’s DNA from a firearm, along with a 9mm bullet.

“People have illegal firearms all the time. They usually just walk away when they see police,” said the prosecution. “Canada ran and threw the firearm under a car. Why? Because he had guilt.”

Defense attorney Megan Lewis argued the footage was too blurry to confirm Canada was the shooter. She challenged the video timestamps, stating Canada was shown at two distinct locations within seconds.

“You can’t be two places at once,” Lewis said. “Counsel is trying to piece different videos together, when they don’t even know what happened themselves.”

The jury is currently deliberating.