Trial Set in Broening Highway Homicide

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The trial date of alleged murderer Ronald Haskins was set on Aug. 18 after the defendant’s case appeared in Baltimore City Circuit Court’s reception court at least three times since June.

Haskins is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a violent crime, having a handgun on his person, and firearm possession with a felony conviction.

On Wednesday, the 23-year-old Baltimore resident was scheduled to appear before Judge Melissa M. Phinn to waive his October Hick’s date, a defendant’s right under Maryland law to be tried within 180 days of his first court appearance. However, when defense attorney Karyn Meriwether asked Haskins if he chose to waive his Hick’s date, he declined.

Judge Phinn said she found reason to schedule the trial past Haskins’ Hick’s date and set it for Jan. 26, 2022, before Judge John S. Nugent in courtroom 434 in the Mitchell Courthouse.

According to the Baltimore Sun, Haskins allegedly shot and killed Richard Pearson, 38, on the 1400 block of Broening Highway on Jan. 11, 2020. Haskins was identified as the suspect after police received tips and reviewed surveillance footage.

He was arrested a day after the shooting.

Haskins’ case has been brought before Judge Phinn now at least four times, since June 8, when the prosecutor said she and the defense had not yet reached a plea offer because she was recently assigned the case.

Nearly a month later on July 6, the prosecution offered Haskins a plea of life, suspending all but 55 years, for first-degree murder, and five years without the possibility of parole for firearm use in a violent crime, which would run concurrently. Meriwether said she needed to share the offer with her client and was scheduled to return to reception court the following month.

Haskins’ once again returned to reception court two weeks ago on Aug. 4 and rejected the plea offer.