After some calendar juggling Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland scheduled a jury trial for a murder defendant accused of a shooting on Annapolis Road.
Gerson Diaz-Arita, 24, is facing charges of first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, reckless endangerment and having a loaded handgun in vehicle in connection to an event that occured on Oct. 27, 2022.
During the scheduling hearing on July 1, the prosecution emphasized the importance of the crime scene technician in this case who was unavailable on every date the defense was available. There were similar scheduling conflicts among other key witnesses as well, including the medical examiners.
According to court documents, Baltimore Police Department officers responded to a reported shooting on the 3300 block of Annapolis Road. Officers saw the victim, 39-year-old David Rodriguez Ramirez, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds that proved fatal.
Video footage revealed Ramirez was shot in the chin and back multiple times through an open car door. A witness allegedly identified Diaz-Arita via photo array.
Diaz-Arita, represented by Stephen Beatty, was finally scheduled to appear before Judge Lynn S. Mays for trial on Oct. 15.
