Michael Tomko Archives - Baltimore Witness

Prosecutor Requests to Join Co-Defendants’ Cases After Murder Mistrials

Details A Baltimore City prosecutor said the State’s Attorney’s Office intends to retry the murder case against 24-year-old Garry Morris and join his case with his co-defendant’s following a mistrial in... Read More

Defense Attorney Claims Weak Evidence Against Double Homicide Suspect in Closing

Details A defense attorney claimed his client is an outstanding family man and falsely accused during a closing argument in a homicide case on November 12 in Baltimore City Circuit Court. ... Read More

Prosecutor Says Electronic Evidence Links Teen to 2023 Double Homicide

Details “There’s no such thing as the perfect murder” and according to Baltimore City prosecutors, defendant Jabre Griffith proves their point with the alleged killing of Ernest Hall and Micah Young—back-to-back... Read More

Defendant Guilty of 2023 Homicide on ‘The Block’

Details A Baltimore City Circuit Court jury found a 30-year-old defendant guilty of multiple charges for the killing of a 29-year-old man despite his claims of self-defense. Kwante Betters was found... Read More

Counsel Claims Defendant Acted in Self-Defense During Shooting Outside Adult Club Last Year

Details A 30-year-old Baltimore man and his defense counsel put forth an argument of self-defense in the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Stephon Stinnett last September, claiming Stinnett was armed with “a... Read More

Detective Says Defendant Matches Homicide Suspect’s Description

Details A Baltimore Police Department (BPD) detective provided details of a homicide investigation during a hearing on Sept. 24 in Baltimore City Circuit Court. The defendant, 30-year-old Kwante Betters, is accused... Read More

‘Clear Photos’ ID Shooter Outside Adult Club in 2023 Murder, Prosecutor Says

Details East Baltimore Street was crowded outside Norma Jean’s adult entertainment club over Labor Day weekend in 2023 when Kwante Betters was accused of shooting and killing 29-year-old Stephon Stinnett. At... Read More

New Trial Date Scheduled for Defendant in Pimlico Road Murder Case

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland has scheduled a new trial date for one of the defendants in a Pimlico Road murder case on June 18 after a... Read More

Defense Pleads Client’s Innocence in Pimlico Road Murder

Details “My client is innocent, and do not let the state convict an innocent man,” said a defense attorney to a Baltimore City Circuit Court jury during opening statements at his... Read More

Defendant’s Third Murder Trial Ends in Hung Jury

Details A homicide defendant appeared before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry G. Williams to hear the verdict in his latest trial. However, there was none. On April 29, alongside his... Read More

Homicide Defendant’s Retrial Date Set

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland set a trial date for a 46-year-old homicide defendant on May 1. Levar Cooper is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in... Read More

Defense Claims Murder Witness Was High When Victim Was Shot Outside Bob’s Bar

Details Before an identifying witness is expected to take the stand, defense counsel for homicide defendant Levar Cooper asked jurors to question the credibility of the witness’ impending testimony, claiming he... Read More

Jury Delivers Verdict in East Patapsco Avenue Shooting

Details A jury delivered a not guilty verdict for one-co defendant, but not for the other on April 12. Boone was found guilty of reckless endangerment, discharging a firearm in Baltimore... Read More

Trial Concludes in East Patapsco Avenue Shooting

By Sarah Mullen [former] - April 13, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Suspects |

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn presided as the jury heard closing arguments in an East Patapsco Avenue non-fatal shooting case on April 12. Co-defendants Trey Allen and... Read More

Trial Commences in East Patapsco Avenue Non-Fatal Shooting

Details On April 9, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn presided over opening statements in the trial of two co-defendants accused of assault in connection to a July 2023... Read More

2022 Pimlico Road Murder Trial Postponed to June

Details On Feb. 20, homicide defendant Darrean Fleming received a June trial date from Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland. Fleming, 24, and two co-defendants are charged with two... Read More

Acquitted: Trio Accused of 2019 Alleyway Murder Found Not Guilty

Details Three men accused of a retaliatory murder from 2019 were acquitted on Feb. 7 following defense counsels’ arguments of limited evidence linking their clients to the death of 33-year-old Antonio... Read More

Jury Hears Closing Arguments for Three Homicide Co-Defendants

Details On Feb. 6, closing arguments in the murder trial of defendants Darian Adams, Kamal Robinson and Raquan Baylor took place before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer. All... Read More

Homicide Trial Underway for Three Homicide Co-Defendants

Details On Jan. 30, opening statements in the murder trial of co-defendants Kamal Robinson, Darian Adams and Raquan Baylor were presented before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer. Baylor,... Read More

Attempted Murder Co-defendants Reject Plea Offers, Get April Trial Date

Details Two Baltimore City Circuit Court attempted murder co-defendants rejected identical plea offers before Judge Melissa K. Copeland on Jan. 9. Trey Allen, 33, is charged with attempted first- and second-degree... Read More

Murder Trial Underway for On-Duty Security Officer

Details In a trial that started on Dec. 12, Keith Luckey, 40, is charged with second-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, the use of an assault weapon with a... Read More

Judge Schedules Shooting Defendant’s Trial in Towanda Avenue Case

Details Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer scheduled a trial date on Dec. 7 for an attempted murder defendant after he rejected the plea agreement offered by the prosecution.... Read More

Judge Declares Mistrial in First-Degree Murder Trial

Details On Nov. 13, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Martin P. Welch declared a mistrial in the first-degree murder case of Levar Attura Octavies Cooper. Cooper, 45, who is represented by... Read More

Judge Grants Motions Hearing for Teenage Double-Homicide Defendant

Details On Nov. 15, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland heard defense attorney Howard Cardin request a motions hearing to join three cases facing 18-year-old Jabre Griffith. The defendant... Read More