Victim's Mental Health Crisis Delays Start of Attempted Murder Trial

Thank you for reading Baltimore Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

An assistant state’s attorney asked had their request to have an attempted murder trial postponed to the new year denied on Nov. 2 by Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn.

The prosecutor informed the court that she was just assigned the case within the past few weeks and had learned that the 17-year-old victim had undergone a mental health crisis and was unable to testify, having been admitted into a psychiatric ward for treatment.

The defense attorney Roland Harris, representing Michael McDowell, objected to the request, stating that there was no way of knowing when the health crisis would be over and that he and his client were ready to proceed.

McDowell is charged with attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, use of a firearm in a felony violent crime, having a handgun on his person, and discharging firearms all in connection to an incident that occurred on Nov. 5, 2021.

According to the Baltimore Police Department, officers were called to the 3600 block of Park Heights Avenue around 11 a.m. on the day of the incident. When they arrived, they found the victim with a gunshot wound to the leg. Police said McDowell and the victim were fighting when the defendant pulled out a gun.

Judge Phinn scheduled another hearing for the defendant on Nov. 9 to get an update on the victim’s health and possibly set a trial date.

Victim’s Mental Health Crisis Delays Start of Attempted Murder Trial