Baltimore, Maryland’s elected top prosecutor has dismissed all charges against a black man. who stood trial four times in a 2015 killing despite his repeated claims. That he was innocent and was set up by police.
Keith Davis Jr. was freed . Friday after Baltimore City State’s Attorney Evan J. Bates announced his decision.
In a news release, Bates said he asked Deputy State’s Attorney Thomas to review the case involving. The fatal shooting of Kevin Jones, a security guard, on June 7, 2015, at the Pimlico Race Course track. Police accused . Davis of committing the crime and claimed his gun matched the casing found at the crime scene.
Bates said reviewed all the “relevant facts, analyzed the law and came to the conclusion . That we should not proceed with this case.”
He added that the dismissal of charges against . Davis “is the result of a thorough review of his prosecution thus far. As well as thoughtful consideration of what it means for Baltimore City to seek a trial.”
Davis was indicted in 2015 for an alleged robbery. Hours after Jones was shot, an unlicensed cab driver flagged . down police and said someone had tried to rob him at gunpoint. Police identified Davis as the suspect and chased him to a mechanic’s garage.
. According to the Free Keith Davis Jr. website. He survived being hit three times, the site said.
Davis placed a gun on top of a refrigerator in the garage, police said. Davis denied this and accused . The officers of drawing their weapons after the shooting.
Davis went on trial for armed . Robbery in 2016 and pleaded not guilty to all charges except illegal possession of a handgun.
. The website denied Davis’ involvement in the killings and said . The gun police claimed he used “was never fired.”
According to the website, the first murder trial in 2017 ended in a hung jury.. That prosecutors had introduced their key witness, “a professional jailhouse informant. Without informing the court about the witness’s background, the website said.
Allow appropriate and necessary pre-trial interrogations requested by the defense. according to the website.
In his news release, Bates accused former state’s attorney . Marilyn Mosby, who . Brought Davis to trial, of “prosecutorial missteps” in “her pursuit of a conviction at any cost.”
I recognize the pain and suffering that repeated unsuccessful prosecutions have caused. The families of the victims and I sympathize with them.
The Associated Press that the case “has always been about seeking justice for Kevin Jones and . His family.”
Jones’ grandmother. Arlene Niles, told The Associated Press . That she was heartbroken and blindsided by Bates’ decision.
“Our family is devastated,” she said. “Kevin is getting no justice – none.”
The Maryland Office of the Public Defender. Which represents Davis, said it was “grateful” that Davis was freed.
“After four trials for a crime he didn’t commit . All the guilty verdicts were overturned for errors by the police. Prosecutors and even. The court,” said Deborah Katz Levy, the office’s director of special cases and Davis’ counsel.
“We are grateful that the State’s Attorney’s Office recognizes . That this case was riddled with past mistakes and evidentiary issues. all which amount to a denial of . Mr. Davis’ due process rights and a loss of confidence in the criminal justice system.”
The office said. Davis asked for privacy “as he enjoys. His long-awaited reunion with his wife and children.”
The Police Department did not respond to requests for comment.
