April 2, 2015

Judge Richard D. Bennett of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland has rebuked state court judges while overturning the conviction of a 1997 murder, the City Paper reports.  According to the article by veteran crime reporter Van Smith, “Bennett has ordered a new trial for Nicholas, because statements given to Baltimore police by two witnesses, who both said they heard gunshots at about the time and place Nicholas said Aja had been shot—which bolstered Nicholas’ version of events, while undermining the state’s case—were illegally withheld from his defense.”