‘There Was Some Real Anger Behind That,’ Prosecution Says During Closing Arguments

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Closing arguments were presented by both parties on July 26 in the trial of a 48-year-old Alphonso Ward accused of fatally stabbing his cousin six times before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lynn S. Mays.

Ward is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and possession of a deadly weapon with intent to injure for his involvement in the Oct. 13, 2023, stabbing of 41-year-old Kevin Miller in his home on the 1600 block of Ramsay Street.

As the assistant state’s attorney showed photos of inside the apartment, she pointed out that there was blood spatter on walls and a “pool of blood on the left side of the mattress,” where she said Ward was sleeping on.

“The blood on the wall was sprayed. We know the stabbing was on or near the bed,” the prosecution stated.

The prosecution brought the jury’s attention to the clothing Ward was wearing and the murder weapon, a kitchen knife. Baltimore Police Department (BPD) detectives did a DNA swab on the knife and found a high probability both Ward and Miller’s blood on the knife.

The prosecution stated that the wounds Miller suffered were six inches deep. Miller was stabbed in his upper arm, chest and both his upper and lower back. She also stated that the force behind the stab wounds bent the knife.

“He was fighting for his life while being stabbed to death. There was some real anger behind that,” the prosecution said.

While discussing the weapon, the prosecution brought out photos showing that blood was allegedly visible on the right sleeve of Ward’s orange and grey sweater he was wearing the night of the murder.

“You can see the majority of the blood is on the right side. Mr. Ward did say, in his testimony, that he was right handed,” the prosecution stated.

Defense attorney Marci Johnson countered this notion, stating that the blood on Ward’s sleeve was from helping Miller up off the bed and carrying him to the door that led to the outside of the apartment. She stated that emergency medics found no cuts on his hands.

Johnson argued that Ward knocked on windows and doors on Ramsay Street, asking residents to call 911. During Ward’s testimony, Johnson played a recording of one of the 911 calls made by a woman reporting a man banging on a window, asking her to call 911.

“There were even two 911 calls made,” Johnson stated.

Johnson concluded her argument saying that the case was neatly packed for police. She stated that the handle of the knife that was used to stab the victim wasn’t processed for DNA evidence — only the blade was. As Ward was in the ambulance speaking with police, medics called him “the suspect” on video showing that investigators had decided Ward was the culprit without a robust investigation.

Johnson finished by explaining that Ward had no motive to hurt his cousin in any way.

Jury deliberations are expected soon.