Video Evidence at Center of Fells Point Double Shooting Trial

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Despite substantial video evidence, the defense claimed mistaken identity in the trial of a 29-year-old man accused of a murder and an attempted murder that took place within about 20 minutes of each other.

Reginald Whitaker is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, firearm possession with a felony conviction, having a handgun on his person, attempted first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, armed robbery and robbery for the July 2023 murder of 33-year-old Traquarn Lewis and the non-fatal shooting of another man.

The prosecutor began her closing argument on May 16 by replaying footage from the Royal Farms on the 2000 block of Fleet Street, where she said Whitaker first saw both of his victims. In his statement to Baltimore Police Department investigators, Whitaker identified himself in the videos, wearing a black sweatshirt and yellow T-shirt. The recorded sounds of gunshots rang out in the courtroom when the prosecutor played the video of the first shooting, just three doors down from the Royal Farms, less than a minute after Lewis had left the store at 2:48 a.m. July 3.

Video captured Whitaker’s alleged flight path through Fells Point until he encountered his second victim at the intersection of South Wolfe Street and Gough Street. According to the victim’s statement to police given at the hospital, his shooter robbed him of his hat and cell phone before shooting him in the leg and abdomen. He also told police the suspect was wearing a bright yellow safety vest.

Defense attorney James Sweeting III first pointed out to jurors the different types of absent evidence in this case: There was no gun, DNA or fingerprint evidence, no cell phone location data nor eyewitnesses or the alleged safety vest to connect his client to the crimes. He cast doubt that someone would murder someone and then “wander around Fells Point for 20 minutes” before committing another serious offense.

“This is a case that invites you to jump to a conclusion,” he said.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Jennifer B. Schiffer presided over closing arguments. Deliberations began Thursday.