Defense Requests Prosecution Share Jail Call Reports

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During an Oct. 12 motion hearing, a defense attorney said the prosecution violated the rules in regard to jail call reports.

James Mayfield, 22, and Robert Moses, 23, are charged with first-degree murder, assault with the intent to kill, and aggravated assault while armed for allegedly shooting of 17-year-old Jamahri Sydnor and three others on Aug. 10, 2017. Sydnor succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.

The jail calls were exchanged between an incarcerated witness and two other witnesses. The witnesses conversed about the shooter’s identity during these phone calls, according to transcript from the Grand Jury in October 2018.

Mayfield’s defense attorney, Veronica Holt asked the prosecution to provide an un-redacted list of the jail call reports because it is difficult to find valuable conversations. However, the prosecution said instructions were given on how to decipher the redacted reports.

Holt also said the report didn’t capture all of the calls. She said the “lost” calls violated one of the rules of criminal procedure by failing to preserve and disclose the report to defense counsel.

But the prosecution clarified that the report, in their possession, was the original copy from the Department of Corrections. The department does not have to preserve any evidence because it is not an investigative entity. Preservation of evidence only applies if it’s in the physical presence of the prosecution, the prosecutor said.

Baltimore Witness previously reported that Moses and Mayfield approached the intersection of Montana and Saratoga Avenues, NE allegedly armed with .40 and .45 caliber handguns. The defendants allegedly fired over ten rounds at people standing on Saratoga Avenue. One of the bullets struck Sydnor in the head as she was driving. Three other bystanders were also injured by stray bullets.

DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan waived the presence of both defendants for the next hearing scheduled on Oct. 13.