Judge declares mistrial in Edmondson Village mass shooting case

A judge in Baltimore declared a mistrial on Thursday after a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the case of a man accused of opening fire at the Edmondson Village Mall in 2023. killed a high school student and injured four others.

Daaon Spears, 18, of Edmondson Village, faced charges including first-degree murder. mass shootingIt happened on January 4, 2023, outside Popeyes at the mall. In that case, he was 16 years old.

Killed in the attack was 16-year-old Deanta Dorsey, a sophomore at nearby Edmondson-Westside High School.

His obituary She described him as a quiet, loving child who loved playing basketball, video games, and eating cereal with milk. His fans affectionately called him “Dink”.

Circuit Judge Robert K. Taylor Jr. presided over the hearing. presided over. Jurors deliberated for two days.

“We will review the case and the evidence presented at trial, as well as additional evidence, and after speaking with the victims’ families, we will determine the best course of action to achieve justice for all,” Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said in a statement.

During closing arguments Wednesday, Assistant State’s Attorney Rita Wisthoff-Ito replayed more than a half-dozen video clips that she claimed pieced together the moments leading up to the crime and the hours after the attack. He asked the jury members to pay attention to the similarities between the two figures in each clip, the clothes they wear and the way they walk.

Wisthoff-Ito told jurors they didn’t need every piece of the puzzle to see the big picture.

Spears and co-defendant Bryan Johnson met, opened fire and fled the scene, Wisthoff-Ito said. He said they changed clothes and were seen together a few hours later.

Johnson, 18, of Shipley Hill, remains charged with first-degree murder and related offenses. He was 16 years old when he was shot.

Spears’ attorney, Brandon Taylor, argued that the state failed to prove his client’s connection to the crime and the victims. Neither his DNA nor his fingerprints were found in physical evidence collected from the scene.

Taylor stated that it would be useful to hear the opinions of the four young people who survived the shooting, but they did not testify.

Investigators “did not follow up on their evidence,” Taylor said. Instead, “they followed their theory,” he said.

The shooting sent shockwaves through Baltimore at a time when the city was grappling with a problem. Devastating wave of gun violence affecting young people.

Dorsey’s death was triggered Calls for sweeping changes to Edmondson Village Shopping Center and that Baltimore Police devote the same resources to solving the case as they would if the case took place in a whiter, more affluent neighborhood.

Dorsey family lawyer Thiru Vignarajah later said: their home was hit hours after attending a press conference.

“This family has a deep reserve of strength and patience. They’ve waited a long time for justice,” Vignarajah said in an interview after the mistrial. “And they’re willing to wait a little longer.”