Two Remanded Cases Heard During Reception Court

By Zoe Foringer-Laing [former] , Sarah Driver [former] - July 9, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Non-Fatal Shooting | Victims |

The case of a Baltimore resident who allegedly killed a man by stabbing him 26 times was heard during reception court at the Baltimore Circuit Court on July 9. 

Jason Alcindor is accused of murdering Timothy Campbell during a fight on June 5, 2017, at a gas station on the 2700 block of Washington Boulevard, according to the Baltimore Sun. At the time, Campbell, 44, was in a romantic relationship with Alcindor’s ex-girlfriend.

The defendant turned himself in to the police after allegedly killing Campbell.  

Alcindor, 36, was initially sentenced to 30 years for second-degree murder but appealed the sentence. 

The appellate court ruled on July 28, 2020, that the trial court should have informed the jury about standards of evidence involving “hot-blooded responses to adequate provocation.” Alcindor reportedly showed some evidence of adequate provocation, which was not discussed.

Alcindor, who is represented by defense attorneys Alex Nzive and Matthew Connell, currently faces charges of first and second-degree murder and manslaughter.

During the Friday hearing, his case was scheduled for trial on Jan. 10, 2022, in courtroom 400 at the Mitchell Courthouse. The case was previously heard in postponement court on June 28.

Judge Melissa M. Phinn also heard another remanded case on Friday.

According to an opinion from Oct. 15, 2019, Baltimore resident Donald March is allegedly responsible for a non-fatal shooting that took place in his mother’s house on March 29, 2018.

After becoming irritated during a conversation with his mother, March, 31, accused a guest of giving beer to his son. 

March left after his mother asked him to do so; however, he returned 10 minutes later with a gun and fired a shot. March allegedly raised the gun up to the head of the guest and, once again, accused them of giving beer to his son. 

An officer arrived at the scene, patted March down, and found a loaded revolver with five live rounds and one empty shell casing.

March was charged with two counts of first and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment, as well as one count each of firearm possession with a felony conviction, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, firearm use in a violent crime, discharging firearms, carrying a handgun on his person, and illegal possession of ammunition. 

Although the Maryland Judiciary website lists one count of possession of firearms with a controlled dangerous substance in March’s case records, it was clarified during the hearing that March is not facing this charge.

March went to trial and was sentenced to 24 years in August 2018, but the sentence was reduced to 14 years after the court merged several of the sentences one week later. 

On Friday, the case was remanded on the grounds that the prosecution may have been motivated by his rejection of the plea offer when his sentence was declared. The appellate court also found that the court did not follow proper procedure when March requested new counsel during his previous trial.

March’s new defense attorney, Isabel Lipman, said plea negotiations are ongoing.

Judge Phinn scheduled the case to return to reception court on July 30.