Judge Melissa M. Phinn Archives

Two-Year-Old Murder Case May Resolve With an Insanity Plea

Details Defendant Jayquan Bridgeman and his defense counsel are considering filing a plea of not criminally responsible (NCR) for the murder of 43-year-old Michael Washington more than two years ago. Legally,... Read More

August Trial for Shooting Involving Girlfriend And Family

Details A 36-year-old Baltimore man is expected to be tried this August for an assault and shooting involving his girlfriend and her family in December 2024. During Baltimore City Circuit Court’s... Read More

Trial Postponed For Suspect in Liquor Bottle Shooting

By Sage Cho - May 27, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

Details Trial was postponed Tuesday for a man accused of shooting his housemate over a bottle of liquor. The postponement came after Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey M. Geller proceeded... Read More

Defendant to Serve 10 Years For Firearm Violations

By Laura Flores [former] - April 22, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Shooting | Victims |

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn sentenced Isaiah Eaddy to 30 years, suspending all but 10, with three years of supervised probation on April 17. Eaddy, 33, was... Read More

Teen Murder Suspect Considers Plea or Trial

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn set a June hearing on April 18 for murder suspect Quontay Spinks, 19, after he received two weeks to consider a plea... Read More

Murder Defendant Faces Sept. Retrial

Details Timothy Knott, 28, will face a second jury trial slated for Sept. 9 after a mistrial in his case was declared April 17. Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M.... Read More

Trial Set For Alleged Marshall Street Killer

By Danielle Dixon [former] - April 17, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting |

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland set a July 21 trial date for murder suspect Dallas Bishop, 24, on April 17. Bishop is charged with first-degree murder and... Read More

Mistrial Declared in 2024 Attempted Murder Case

By Noor Ogaili [former] , Tiffany Sartor - April 17, 2025
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting |

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn declared a mistrial in the matter of homicide suspect Timothy Knott, 28, on April 17. The reason for the decision was not immediately... Read More

Prosecution Argues Shooting Was ‘Willful and Deliberate’

By Laura Flores [former] - March 14, 2025
Court | Homicides | Shooting | Videos |

Details On March 13, the prosecutor told a jury that the defendant’s actions were “willful and deliberate” during closing arguments in a homicide trial before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa... Read More

Man Accused of Fatal Stabbing in Jonestown Takes March 2025 Trial Date

Details A 41-year-old Baltimore man rejected a plea offer of two decades incarceration on Dec. 20 for the fatal stabbing of Dondre Quickley in Jonestown in July. During Friday’s reception court... Read More

Lawnview Avenue Murder Defendant Says Military Records Will ‘Mitigate’ The Charges

Details Defense counsel for the accused killer of 32-year-old John Parrish said she believes her client’s case “is not going to be a trial,” but will resolve once she retrieves “mitigation... Read More

Attempted Murder Defendant Takes March 2025 Trial Over 50-Year Plea Offer

Details Attempted homicide defendant Corey Coleman opted to take her case to trial on Dec. 19, rejecting the prosecution’s plea offer of 50 years in prison. Charges currently against the 39-year-old... Read More

Judge Sentences Homicide Defendant to Life In Prison, Suspending 50 Years

Details On Dec. 10, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn sentenced a 19-year-old homicide defendant to life in prison, suspending all but 50 years. William Holloman was charged and... Read More

Jury Selection Begins in East Baltimore Murder Trial

Details Jury selection for the murder trial of Tyrell Williams began before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn on Dec. 4. Williams was detained... Read More

Sentencing for One of Four Murder Co-Defendants Postponed

Details A 19-year-old defendant’s sentencing was postponed before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn on Dec. 2. William Holloman, 19, is charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, conspiracy to... Read More

Judge Postpones Trial for Murder Defendant Due to Evidence Delays

Details The trial of a 24-year old defendant was postponed at the request of his defense attorney before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn. Aamir Benton is charged with ... Read More

Defense Attorney Requests Postponement of Road Rage Trial

Details The trial for a 21-year-old defendant involved in a road rage incident was postponed at the request of his defense attorney before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn.... Read More

Accused Shooter Rejects Plea Offer, Gets December Trial

Details A non-fatal shooting case from an incident earlier this year was scheduled for trial this December following the defendant’s decision to reject a plea offer on Oct. 16. During reception... Read More

Non-Fatal Shooting Case Pushed One Week to Assign New Defense Attorney

Details A 27-year-old man accused of a non-fatal shooting in May will return to Baltimore City Circuit Court’s reception court next week once he is assigned a new defense attorney. Delvon... Read More

April Murder Defendant to Be Tried in February 2025

Details A 35-year-old received a trial date in Baltimore City Circuit Court Oct. 11. Defendant Michael Dwight Conley represented by defense attorney Marci Johnson, is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use... Read More

Judge Reschedules Defendant’s Second Attempted Murder Trial

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Levi S. Zaslow rescheduled the attempted murder trial of a 31-year-old defendant due to the prosecutor’s having another trial. Larry Winder III is charged with... Read More

Second Suspect Shot Victim for ‘Beating On’ His Mother, Defense Argues at Co-Defendant’s Trial

Details “He’s into it up to his neck, but not by choice.” According to defense attorney Marci Johnson, defendant James Jenkins III had no idea what the accused shooter had planned... Read More

Defense Points to Other Suspect in Fatal Shooting Outside Pimlico Elementary School

Details At the start of trial on Sept. 16, defense counsel Marci Johnson was adamant that it was not her client, James Jenkins III, who killed 31-year-old Phillip Wallace. Instead, Johnson... Read More

Scheduling Hearing Postponed for Eastern District Murder Co-Defendants

Details Two men accused of an Eastern District murder late last year continued to wait for a trial date after a hearing in Baltimore City Circuit Court Sept. 20 only yielded... Read More