‘You Took Him Away During a Holiday,’ Victim’s Sister Says in Homicide Sentencing

By Amel Kebede [former] - November 8, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

The courtroom was crowded with family and friends of Dominique Edmonds as he appeared before Judge Paul E. Alpert in a homicide case on Nov. 6. However, the victim’s sister made a powerful statement about her loss.

Edmonds was represented by public defender Judit Otvos. The 20-year-old defendant was charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, attempted armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, use of a firearm in a felony violent crime, having a handgun on his person and possession of firearm as a minor in connection to the death of 34-year-old Theodore Barksdale on Nov. 29, 2022.

Edmonds accepted a deal from the assistant’s state attorney reducing the first-degree murder charge to second-degree. Judge Alpert concurred and sentenced Edmonds to serve 40 years, suspending all but 20 years, with five years of supervised probation. In addition, Edmonds pleaded guilty to firearm use in a felony violent crime. He will serve 20 years, the first five years without the possibility for parole. The sentences will run concurrently. 

Barksdale’s older sister made a tearful victim impact statement saying it was not fair for her to lose a brother, while Edmonds had his family and friends with him and didn’t deserve the plea. She said her brother was a good man and it has been a long road for her and her mother to heal.

“I can’t see my brother. I can’t talk to my brother. I can’t kiss my brother. You took him away during a holiday,” she said.

Edmonds declined to make any statement.

Documents from the District Court of Maryland state that Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers responded to the crime scene on the 100 block of North Kossuth Street. Surveillance video captured two suspects getting into a verbal argument and physical altercation with Barksdale before one shot him. Facial recognition technology identified Edmonds as the shooter.