Judge Melissa Phinn Archives - Baltimore Witness

Suspect Accused of Murdering Emaciated Daughter

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones postponed the homicide trial of Gerald Byrd, 35, after parties requested more time to obtain his daughter’s autopsy report on May 28.... Read More

Drug Trafficking Defendant Faces September Trial

Details Nyquan Carter, 20, received a Sept. 8 jury trial date before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn on April 18. Carter was arrested following Operation Tornado Alley, a... Read More

August Retrial Scheduled for Remanded 2020 Shooting Case

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn scheduled an Aug. 11 retrial for attempted murder defendant Dominick Scarboro, in a hearing on April 17. On March 21, 2022, a... Read More

Witness Says Shooting Suspect Tells Her, ‘I’m Sick of This B**ch, I’m About to Blow Her Up’

By Kerryn Ayers [former] , Caroline Sutley [former] - March 4, 2025
Attempted Murder | Court | Shooting |

Details Counsel gave opening statements and the victims testified in the jury trial of attempted murder defendant Antonio Freeman before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones on March 4.... 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

Dismissed Defense Attorney Delays Homicide Trial Indefinitely

Details The trial of a man accused of murder did not proceed as scheduled before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John A. Howard on July 16 due to a last-minute dismissal... Read More

Judge Schedules Trial Date for Murder Defendant in BP Gas Station Shooting Case

Details Defendant Davon Evans appeared in reception court in front of Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn on Sept. 6. With the advice of his attorney, Deborah Warner-Dennis, he... Read More

Trial Date Set for Defendant Charged in Saint Clair Crossing Attempted Murder Case

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn set the trial date for a defendant accused of attempted first-degree murder in Nov. 2022. Defense attorney Augustine Okeke represented Carla Hardy... Read More

‘I Don’t Want Nothing to Do With Him’ Says Defendant to Attorney Following Retrial Postponement in 2017 Murder Case

Details Defendant Sean Morris received a new retrial date from Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn following requests for postponement from both sides of counsel. On Aug. 25, Baltimore... Read More

Misunderstanding Over Defendant’s Legal Representation Postpones Attempted Murder Trial

Details A clerical error involving an attempted murder defendant’s legal representation caused the postponement of his jury trial on Aug. 21. James Sutton was scheduled to begin jury selection on Monday... Read More

Man Acquitted Of 17-Year-Old Teen’s Murder Faces Retrial For Weapons Charge

Details A Baltimore man will be retried this November for a weapons charge in the homicide case of 17-year-old Ray Glasgow, nearly a year after the defendant was found not guilty... Read More

Dolphin Street Non-Fatal Shooting Defendant Rejects Plea Deal

Details On Aug. 16, a 43-year-old defendant charged with discharging a firearm in Baltimore City in 2022 rejected a plea before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn. Defendant Ardie... Read More

Man Accused of Shooting 15-Year-Old Girl to Review New Evidence before Deciding on Plea

Details A 37-year-old Baltimore man accused of shooting a teenage girl in April is expected to review new video evidence in his case before deciding whether to proceed with a plea... Read More

Accused Wildwood Road Rage Shooter Gets Fall Trial Date

Details A 25-year-old man accused of a road rage shootout earlier this year in Southwest Baltimore will have his jury trial this fall before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Geller.... Read More

Homicide Defendant Opts for Trial Over 40-Year Plea Offer in 2022 Killing

Details A 38-year-old Baltimore man accused of murder rejected a plea of 40 years incarceration on Aug. 8, opting for a November trial. Dominic Hicks is currently facing charges of second-degree... Read More

Man Accused of Brighton Street Shooting Takes Fall Trial Date Over Five-Year Plea Offer

Details Accused Brighton Street shooter Bryant Floyd was given an October trial date on Aug. 8 in Baltimore City Circuit Court’s reception court, where he rejected a five-year plea offer from... Read More

Judge Goes Past Attempted Murder Defendant’s Hick’s Date Due to Prosecutor’s Availability

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge found probable cause to schedule an attempted homicide defendant’s trial beyond his Hick’s date because of the prosecutor’s availability. Defendants are given the right... Read More

Northshire Drive Homicide Case Dismissed After Judge Denies Prosecution’s Postponement Request

Details A homicide case against 22-year-old Draquan Smith was dismissed on July 31, following what a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge described as “improper conduct” from the prosecution. Smith—who is charged... Read More

Judge Declares Mistrial in Attempted Murder Case Following Evidentiary Issues

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge declared a mistrial in the attempted murder trial of Dionte Johnson on Aug. 1 after defense counsel cited a discovery violation. Defense attorney Natalie... Read More

E. Chase Street Shooter Gets November Retrial After Mistrial in 2017 Murder Case

Details After his recent mistrial, homicide defendant Matthew Lipscomb received a November retrial date on July 27 during Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn’s reception court. The now-29-year-old defendant’s four-day... Read More

Judge Orders Counsel Pick Trial Date for Mother Accused of Her Children’s Murders on Coventry Road

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge ordered counsel to return to reception court next month with a trial date for Jameria Hall, while they await outstanding medical reports. Hall, 30, is... Read More

Eastern Avenue Shooter’s Arraignment Pushed Until Defense Attorney is Assigned

Details The arraignment of homicide defendant Jose Flamenco-Reyes was postponed on July 20 to when the Office of the Public Defender is expected to provide the defendant with an attorney. The... Read More

Man Accused of Shooting at Home on S. Stricker Street Has Case Dismissed Ahead of Jury Trial

Details An attempted homicide defendant’s case was dismissed on July 12—a day after he was originally set to begin a jury trial. Defendant David Jones appeared before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge... Read More

Defense Counsel’s Unavailability Delays Bowley’s Lane Attempted Murder Trial By Three Months

Details An attempted homicide defendant’s trial was postponed more than three months after his defense attorney had a personal emergency. On July 11, Desmond Powell was set to begin his jury trial before... Read More