Following a three-day jury trial in which the defense described years of domestic abuse, a 38-year-old woman was acquitted on March 6 of first-degree murder but convicted of using a deadly weapon in the death of her accused abuser.
Sherrice Parker was initially charged in the stabbing death of her 46-year-old partner, Donte Chase, which occurred shortly after 11 p.m. on June 30, 2025. Evidence pointed to a domestic violence incident at the couple’s home on the 700 block of N. Kenwood Avenue that quickly escalated into a fatal stabbing.
Jurors returned their verdict two days after attorneys rested their cases before Baltimore City Circuit Judge Judge Jeannie J. Hong on March 4. Parker’s defense attorney, Roya Hanna, maintained that Parker acted out of self defense when she stabbed Chase, who towered over the defendant and threatened her life during the altercation. Parker stands at less than 5 feet tall, Hanna told jurors.
Parker herself testified that the physical abuse was a constant in their relationship, which began in 2010 and often saw Chase choking her until she fell unconscious. Despite the abuse, she claimed she never left Chase because she felt “stuck.” According to Parker, the night of the stabbing began with Chase choking her unconscious, too.
During closing arguments on March 4, the state’s attorney argued that Parker’s statements to police were inconsistent with both her testimony and evidence recovered from her home. Though Parker initially told police the incident occurred in her bedroom, she testified at trial that it happened in the kitchen. Evidence from the scene, however, suggested the incident happened in a completely different room.
Despite this and other inconsistencies, Hanna argued that Parker’s wavering recollection was a result of trauma from the day of the stabbing.
Jurors ultimately sided with Hanna’s argument of self-defense, acquitting Parker of Chase’s murder.
A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
