Judge Gale Rasin Archives - Baltimore Witness

Defendant Remains Incompetent to Stand Trial, Deemed ‘Dangerous’

By Jasmine Milbourne - July 31, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | stabbing |

Details Baltimore CIty Circuit Court Judge Gale E. Rasin deemed Amith Kumar, 45, as ‘dangerous’ in his sixth month mental health evaluation. Kumar is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and... Read More

Delayed Competency Eval Postpones Accused Murderer’s Mental Health Court Hearing

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge postponed a murder defendant’s mental health court hearing on April 19 as counsel awaits the results from a competency evaluation. Gordon Staron is charged... Read More

73-Year-Old Man Charged in 1973 Double Homicide Will Remain in Community Under Pre-Trial Supervision

Details A 73-year-old Baltimore man accused of committing a double homicide in 1973 will remain released but under pre-trial supervision, after mental health professionals found him incompetent to stand trial and... Read More

Man Accused of Murdering His 75-Year-Old Mother Remains Incompetent to Stand Trial

Details A Baltimore man accused of his 75-year-old mother’s murder last December was found incompetent to stand trial, according to a report from a psychiatric hospital in Howard County. During mental... Read More

Convicted Manslaughter Defendant Continues to Do ‘Everything Right’ During Treatment, Judge Says

Details Ten years after his manslaughter conviction, Genesis Collins Jr. was commended for continuing his treatment program during a mental health court hearing on April 27. Collins’ defense attorney, Sharon Bogins... Read More

Man Charged with Radio Host’s Murder to Have Competency Reassessed in November

Details A 58-year-old Baltimore man remains incompetent to stand trial for the murder of radio host Tyra Phillips Womack in June 2020. During a brief six-month status conference in mental health... Read More

Judge Grants Second Extension for Homicide Defendant’s NCR Plea Evaluation

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge granted an extension for the evaluation of homicide defendant Timothy Callanan on March 15 in connection to a plea of not criminally responsible that... Read More

Judge Signs Order For Homicide Defendant’s Mental Health Evaluation

Details A Cumberland man accused of fatally stabbing 63-year-old Keith Bell in September 2022 will undergo a mental health evaluation on March 16 before proceeding in Baltimore City Circuit Court. Defense... Read More

Defendant Receives ‘Glowing’ Report After Manslaughter Conviction in 2013

Details A 52-year-old man convicted of manslaughter nearly 12 years ago continues making strides in the community as he received praise from a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge on March 15.... Read More

Mental Health Evaluation Extension Reschedules 1973 Murder Case for May

Details The case of homicide defendant Gold Leroy Bass Jr. was extended, once more, for a mental health evaluation for the 49-year-old murder of Harry McGee and Nathaniel Sheppard. Bass, who... Read More

Review of Homicide Defendant’s NCR Plea Evaluation Pushed to March

Details Counsel requested additional time for homicide defendant Timothy Callanan’s evaluation for a plea of not criminally responsible on Feb. 8 in connection to the fatal stabbing of Mason Moldoven in... Read More

Accused Fatal Shooter’s Mental Health Hearing Canceled

Details A mental health court hearing for homicide defendant Cortez Johnson was canceled on Jan. 4 for reasons unknown to Baltimore Witness. The 22-year-old defendant was scheduled to appear before Baltimore... 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

Family Questions Competent Defendant’s Right to NCR Plea Evaluation in 2020 Fatal Stabbing Case

Details The mental health court hearing for homicide defendant Timothy Callanan grew heated on Dec. 7 when family members of victim Mason Moldoven questioned the defendant’s right to proceed with a plea of... Read More

Defense Attorney Reports Client ‘Won’t Talk to Me,’ During Mental Health Court Hearing

By Ashleigh Joplin [former] - December 1, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

Details Defense counsel representing a first-degree murder defendant did not submit to a report deeming his client competent during a mental health court hearing on Nov. 30. Defense attorney Romel Showell informed Baltimore... Read More

Doctors Unable to Rule on Defendant’s Competency, Orders Further Tests

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gale E. Rasin reported on Nov. 2 that City Circuit Court medical examiners could not reach a decision on the initial competency of a defendant... Read More

Murder Defendant Asks for Day in Court, Calling Competency Review a Form of ‘Slavery’

Details A Baltimore man was again found incompetent to stand trial in connection with the murder of a gospel radio station host in 2020. In October of 2021, defendant Richard Green was found... Read More

Homicide Defendant’s Competency for Trial Could Be Overturned Based on Results of Independent Eval

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge granted defense counsel’s postponement request on Oct. 6, as he and his client await the results of an independent mental health evaluation. Major Kinchen,... Read More

Attempted Homicide Case Postponed 2 Weeks for Prosecution to Contact Witnesses

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn granted a two-week postponement in the case of attempted homicide defendant Lamont Wood to give the prosecution time to contact witnesses. During reception... Read More

Woman Charged With Killing Her Child Granted Extended Mental Health Evaluation

Details A judge allowed a women to receive an extended mental health evaluation during mental health court on Sept. 22 at Baltimore City Circuit Court. Judge Gale E. Raisin approved of... Read More

Reports Say Defendant Compliant with Treatment

By LaTrina Antoine - August 18, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Suspects |

Details In his third appearance at mental health court on Aug. 18 a defendant convicted of first-degree assault was reported as being compliant with treatment. Ellicott City resident Thurston Mayo pleaded... Read More

Judge Orders Mental Health Evaluation for Defendant in Brutal 2019 Murder of Deli Worker

Details A 30-year-old man accused in a 2019 homicide near Patterson Park was ordered on Aug. 4 to undergo a mental health evaluation. Baltimore resident Terrance Peterson is accused of the... Read More

Cases Underway Against Two Men Accused of Murdering Advocate for Homeless

Details Two co-defendants accused of murdering a well-known advocate for the homeless are moving closer to trial. Baltimore residents Brelan Handy and Kenneth Smith were arrested more than one year ago... Read More

Judge Grants Permission for Out-of-State Travel

By Connor Driscoll [former] - June 15, 2021
Court | Non-Fatal Shooting | Suspects |

Details On June 15, Judge Gale Rasin gave permission to a defendant to travel out-of-state. Thurston Mayo, an Ellicott City resident, pleaded guilty to first-degree assault in May. As part of... Read More