Jonathan Kerr Archives - Baltimore Witness

Man Accused of Shooting Woman in the Face in 2022 Has Trial Rescheduled

Details The trial for 29-year-old Samal Chavis was rescheduled on Jan. 9 after a change in defense counsel. During reception court, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn was informed that defense attorney Jonathan Kerr... Read More

Attempted Homicide Defendant’s Mental Health Hearing Postponed

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court mental health judge granted an extension in the case of attempted homicide defendant Bernard Hopkins on Dec. 21 as he awaits admittance to the hospital... Read More

Judge Continues Hearing For Attempted Murder Defendant Undergoing Retrial

Details During a Dec. 8 reception court proceeding, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn continued a hearing for a defendant accused of attempted murder in 2009. The man is currently undergoing a... Read More

Defendant Pleads Guilty to First-Degree Murder in Case of Fatal Stabbing

Details A defendant charged with murder plead guilty on Nov. 14 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lynn Stewart Mays. Kenneth Smith, represented by Jonathan Kerr and Megan Lewis, was charged with... Read More

Defense Counsel’s Illness Delays Homicide Trial

Details The trial of co-defendants Taijhae Brown and Kennard Johnson was delayed until next year after the latter’s defense counsel reported sick on Oct. 3—the original trial date. Brown’s defense attorney,... Read More

Father Acquitted in Dispute Turned Shooting with Son’s Mother

Details The mother of Andre Davis’ child adamantly and repeatedly declared, “Yes, yes,” that it was the 37-year-old defendant who twice fired a gun at her daughter’s car as her daughter attempted to... Read More

New Year’s Day Shooter Sentenced to Life

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Paul Alpert sentenced defendant Gilbert Della to life in prison on Sept. 14 for his involvement in the murder of Ikeem Issac on New Year’s... Read More

Finksburg Man Denied Bail After Overturning 10-Year-Old Attempted Murder Plea

Details A Finksburg man was denied bail on Aug. 30, more than 12 years after he accepted a plea agreement for four counts of attempted murder. Andrew Hyle, 31, returned to... Read More

Bail Hearing Postponed for 72-Year-Old Man After Successful Appeal of 2019 Murder Conviction

Details A 72-year-old man whose life sentence was overturned for the 2018 fatal stabbing of his girlfriend was among two bail reviews postponed on Aug. 16 due to conflicts with defense... Read More

Accused Shooter Released on Home Detention After 2nd Bail Review

Details Shooting defendant Leonda Haynes was released on home detention Friday morning after having previously been denied bail in May. Haynes and her defense attorney, Jonathan Kerr, appeared before Baltimore City... Read More

Judge Postpones Bail Hearing to Give Counsel More Time to Gather Evidence

Details The bail hearing for a 41-year-old Baltimore woman, who was involved in a non-fatal shooting, was postponed on July 6. Leonda Haynes is charged with first and second-degree assault, use... Read More

Judge’s Absense Leads to Recheduling Homicide Trial

Details Baltimore resident Gilbert Della’s trial was scheduled to continue on July 1 but has been rescheduled due to Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Paul E. Alpert’s inability to be in... Read More

Defense Questions Police Investigation in Opening Statements

Details Counsel began their initial arguments with opening statements June 30 for the trial of a 27-year-old Baltimore man charged with the murder. Gilbert Della is charged with first-degree murder,... Read More

After Five Years in Prison, Homicide Defendant’s Trial is Scheduled to Begin Today

Details After spending five years in prison, Baltimore resident Gilbert Della’s trial scheduled to begin on June 29 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn. Della, 27, is charged... Read More

Elderly Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Ammo in Exchange For Dropping Attempted Murder Charges

Details A 68-year-old man charged accepted a plea offer of 5 years in prison before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn on June 14. Paul Lundy initially faced 11... Read More

Man Accused of Attempted Murder Agrees to Stay Away From Victim, Case on Stet Docket

Details A Baltimore man charged with attempted murder agreed to the prosecution’s conditions to stay away from the victim in exchange for indefinitely postponing his case. During reception court on June... Read More

Judge Denies Bail for Woman Charged in Shooting

Details A Baltimore judge deemed a shooting defendant “a threat to public safety” before denying her bail on May 27. According to Baltimore City Circuit Court’s bail docket, Leonda Haynes is... Read More

Elderly Man Has Case Pushed to Mid-June

By Alyssia Davis [former] - June 2, 2022
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Suspects |

Details An elderly Baltimore man accused of attempted murder had his case pushed nearly two weeks on June 2 after he was placed in quarantine due to COVID. Paul Lundy is... Read More

Convicted Shooting Defendant’s Sentence Reduced by 11 Years

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge reduced a convicted non-fatal shooting defendant’s sentence by over a decade on April 26 after agreeing with defense counsel’s arguments that the defendant’s original... Read More

Attempted Murder Defendant Has Trial Scheduled for July

Details The trial date for a 36-year-old Baltimore man, who is accused of attempted murder, was scheduled for July on April 26 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn. ... Read More

Defendant Accused of Attempting to Murder his Girlfriend’s Daughter Unable to Appear in Court

Details An attempted murder defendant in protective custody was unable to appear before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn to accept or decline a plea offer on April 19.... Read More

Homicide Defendant’s Trial Scheduled for October

Details A Baltimore man charged with homicide has a trial scheduled in October. Kennard Johnson, 33, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of use of a firearm... Read More

Baltimore Man Accused of Non-Fatal Shooting Rejects Plea Offer

Details A 22-year-old Baltimore man accused of a non-fatal shooting rejected a plea of four years on March 29 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn. The defendant is... Read More

Judge Schedules Non-Fatal Shooting Defendant for Trial in April

Details A Baltimore man involved in an attempted murder was given a trial date on Nov. 15 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland. Andre Davis, 36, is charged... Read More