Baltimore Witness

08/10/2025

A Baltimore man convicted of murder and r**e returned to court this week, asking a judge to reconsider his sentence nearly a decade later.

Benny Davis, who is serving life plus 35 years for the 2013 killing of D’Andre Thomas, argued his attorney failed to pursue a modification after trial.

Read the full story here: https://baltimorewitness.org/judge-considers-post-conviction-request-from-2015-murder/

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Nicole K. Barmore heard post-conviction motions on Oct. 2 as defense counsel sought a belated plea and modified sentence for a Baltimore man who was convicted in 2015 of first-degree murder and r**e across two separate cases.  Benny Davis, __, is currently serving...

08/10/2025

A Baltimore man was sentenced to two life terms (all but 120 years suspended) for a 2023 double murder.

Both victims’ mothers spoke in court — one pleading for the “fullest extent” of justice.

Read the full story: https://baltimorewitness.org/families-grieve-at-hollins-ferry-road-murderers-sentencing/

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Martin P. Welch sentenced 27-year old Vincent Harris to two counts of life, suspending all but 120 years, on Oct. 7. Harris was found guilty by jurors on May 15 of four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of felony firearm use, and one count of having a handg...

07/10/2025

A Baltimore jury is deliberating whether Darius Williams fatally stabbed a man more than 20 times in 2020.

Prosecutors point to DNA and video evidence — the defense says it’s not enough.

Read the full story here: https://baltimorewitness.org/closing-statements-delivered-in-2020-homicide-case/

For more updates, check out Baltimorewitness.org

Jurors began deliberating on Oct. 6 after counsel delivered closing arguments in the case of a Baltimore man charged with a 2020 fatal stabbing.  Darius Williams, 38, is charged with first- and second-degree murder and intent to injure with a deadly weapon for his alleged involvement in the June 25...

07/10/2025

Tears filled a Baltimore courtroom as a woman faced the man who nearly killed her.

Danny Gonzalez, 20, was sentenced to life — suspending all but 25 years — for a 2024 double shooting that left victim's with lasting injuries.

📍Read the full story here: https://baltimorewitness.org/woman-details-traumatic-recovery-period-at-shooters-sentencing/

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Hope Hipton sentenced a 20-year-old man to life, suspending all but 25 years, on Oct. 6 after the defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder and one count of felony firearm use. Sobs were heard from defendant Danny Gonzalez’s mother as Judge Tipto...

06/10/2025

Jurors heard police and forensic testimony in the murder trial of Darius Williams, accused of fatally stabbing Eric “Cookieman” Jones more than 20 times in 2020.

Read the full story here: https://baltimorewitness.org/westwood-avenue-murder-trial-continues-with-forensic-testimony/

For more updates, check out Baltimorewitness.org

Jurors heard police and forensic testimony on Oct. 2 in the murder trial of Darius Williams, who is accused of fatally stabbing Eric Jones in West Baltimore over five years ago.  Williams, 37, is charged with first-degree murder in connection to the June 25, 2020, homicide of Jones, 49, who was sta...

06/10/2025

Three years into a 20-year sentence, Henry Allen is back in court — his conviction overturned after judges ruled jury instructions were flawed.

He’s set to be retried for a 2022 Baltimore shooting that injured no one.

Full story here :https://baltimorewitness.org/convicted-shooter-denied-bail-awaiting-retrial-for-attempted-murder-outside-west-carry-out-and-grocery/

For more updates, check out Baltimorewitness.org

06/10/2025

From a body found in a refrigerator to the retrial of an off-duty MPD sergeant’s alleged killer — six major cases moved forward in Baltimore court this week.

Read what’s next for each: https://baltimorewitness.org/2-pleas-rejected-4-trials-set-in-reception-court/

Six criminal cases were heard in Baltimore City Circuit Court’s reception docket on Oct. 3, four of which Judge Melissa K. Copeland scheduled for trial. The remaining cases, a homicide and an attempted murder, were respectively set for a motion hearing and status hearing.  Of the four homicide ca...

01/10/2025

A Baltimore security guard accused of shooting two TGI Friday’s employees is set to stand trial Dec. 12.

Ian Christian Kennedy Simmons, 36, faces multiple charges including attempted murder. One victim identified him in body-cam footage, saying: “The picture I took is the security guard who shot me.”

Read the full story here: https://baltimorewitness.org/tgi-fridays-security-guard-faces-trial-in-parking-lot-shooting/

For more updates, check out Baltimorewitness.org

Ian Christian Kennedy Simmons, 36, is scheduled to stand trial on Dec. 12 for allegedly firing on and wounding two TGI Friday’s employees in March. Simmons is charged with attempted first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, firearm use in a violent crime, and reckless endangerment in ...

01/10/2025

In the 2020 murder case of Eric “Cookieman” Jones, defense attorneys are pushing to suppress DNA evidence they say was mishandled by Baltimore’s crime lab.

Darius Williams, 37, is accused of stabbing Jones more than 20 times.

📍 Read the full story: https://baltimorewitness.org/defense-wants-victims-dna-suppressed-in-cookieman-homicide-trial/

📍For more courtroom updates, check out Baltimorewitness.org

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams heard arguments about suppressing DNA evidence in the June 25, 2020, murder of Eric Jones, 49, also known as the “Cookieman”. The defendant, Darius Williams, 37, allegedly stabbed Jones more than 20 times after chasing him down. Williams is being...

30/09/2025

Kimani Johnson was acquitted of all charges in a 2023 Southwest Baltimore shooting that left Aaron Frantom paralyzed and later killed.

Trial details and witness testimony shed light on the night.

Read the full story here: https://baltimorewitness.org/jury-acquits-defendant-of-2023-drug-related-homicide/

After a brief deliberation on Sept. 24, jurors acquitted Kimani Johnson, 35, of all charges in connection to the death of Aaron Frantom, 37, during a drug-related shooting incident that occurred more than two years ago in Southwest Baltimore. Johnson was found not guilty of 11 charges, including fir...

30/09/2025

Since 2022, Baltimore’s GVRS program has reached hundreds of high-risk individuals. Shootings and homicides are down citywide — but experts caution the picture is more complicated.

Read why here: https://baltimorewitness.org/baltimore-witness-report-is-the-citys-group-violence-reduction-strategy-keeping-crime-low/

Delivering Transparency: We collect information about homicides and non-fatal shootings in Baltimore and keep data on what happens during the entire process of each case.