Teens accused in Upper Fells Point beating indicted; 18-year-old suspect held without bail

The 18-year-old accused of participating in a beating that wounded a 66-year-old man in Upper Fells Point will remain held without bail, and he as well as a 15-year-old suspect were indicted with attempted first-degree murder charges in the case Tuesday.

Baltimore District Judge Theresa C. Morse ruled at a Tuesday bail review that the 18-year-old, Montaz Bailey, would be a “danger to the witness” and the community if released from Central Booking, citing the facts of the case in which Bailey is accused of assaulting and robbing a man on the 200 block of South Madeira Street alongside a group of other suspects.

Police wrote in charging papers against Bailey that the victim, a resident of South Madeira Street, told police he was hit from behind after being followed by a group of people while walking home from his garage and saw a gun in his face. The victim said he grabbed the barrel of the gun with both of his hands, and a physical altercation ensued during which he was knocked to the ground, police wrote.

Investigators noted that the suspects continued assaulting the man to the point of unconsciousness. The man received “several lacerations” and was hospitalized, police said.

The Thursday assault led to police arresting Bailey as well as the 15-year-old, who police said was released to a guardian after a detention hearing at the city’s Juvenile Justice Center. That decision, coupled with the release of surveillance footage of the encounter, prompted Baltimore officials to criticize the state’s juvenile justice system.

On Tuesday morning, the state’s Department of Juvenile Services said it was rolling out new reforms to policies regarding electronic monitoring and releasing of children who are accused of violent crimes. And later Tuesday, the Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office said a grand jury had indicted the 15-year-old as an adult on charges including attempted first-degree murder.

“While we did not make this decision lightly, the gravity of the alleged crime and the threat to public safety require us to act,” Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Let me be explicitly clear: if you or your companions decide to attack, stomp on, or slam someone’s head in Baltimore, then my office will handle it with the seriousness it deserves.”

Bailey, who is charged with attempted first-degree murder and 14 other counts including armed robbery, has been held without bond since his arrest Friday. A spokesperson for Bates’ office confirmed Bailey was also indicted, though his indictment was not available in online court records Tuesday afternoon.

Morse’s Tuesday decision came after Assistant Public Defender Charles Weiner informed her that Bailey’s case would be handled by a panel attorney, a trial lawyer recruited by the Office of the Public Defender to independently handle cases, due to a “conflict.” That attorney would be filing motions in Circuit Court, Weiner said, declining to make arguments on bail during Tuesday’s brief detention hearing. Weiner did not elaborate on what the conflict was.

Court records indicated that Natalie Finegar had entered her appearance as Bailey’s panel attorney last week after the public defender’s office assessed a “possible conflict of interest” in representing Bailey. Finegar, who was in a trial in Baltimore Circuit Court on Tuesday, did not immediately return a request for comment.

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