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By
Inacent McKeithan [former]
- March 21, 2023
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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Suspects
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Victims
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“I ask you not to let emotion drive your decision-making,” said defense attorney Jason Silverstein to a jury before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones on March 21, during the first day of trial for a man charged with a 2021 homicide.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, defendant Troy Peace Jr. ,who is represented by Silverstein, rejected a plea of life, suspending all but 45 years with five years of probation for first-degree murder in connection to the fatal shooting of Devon Murray.
Peace, 34, is charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in a felony violent crime, and two counts of possession of a firearm with a felony conviction.
According to the assistant state’s attorney, on Oct, 16, 2021, Peace and Murray engaged in a verbal dispute due to Murray alleging that his son referred to Peace as “dad.” At this time, Peace was in a relationship with the mother of Murray’s son.
The assistant state’s attorney alleges that Peace shot Murray in the chest, which resulted in the victim dying two hours later.
Baltimore Witness previously reported Silverstein’s uncertainty regarding these claims. Silverstein insisted that conflicting witness statements made it difficult to conclude that Peace had a firearm and used it to shoot Murray.
The assistant state’s attorney called their first witness – a responding officer with the Baltimore Police Department. During his testimony, the officer confirmed that the number of witnesses near the crime scene produced conflicting statements.
This trial is scheduled to continue on March 22.
According to Maryland Judiciary website, Peace was convicted of possession of a controlled and dangerous substance with intent to distribute on April 22, 2009, and March 4, 2015.