OFFICE OF THE STATE’S ATTORNEY

FOR

BALTIMORE CITY

208 THE CLARENCE M. MITCHELL, JR. COURTHOUSE

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21202

Patricia C. Jessamy Phone 443-984-1121

State’s Attorney

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Information Contact: Margaret T. Burns

Chief, Communications & Governmental Affairs

Office (443) 984-1121 or Cell Phone (443) 474-7479

Or

Joseph Sviatko, Public Information Officer

Office (443) 984-1122 or Cell (410) 790-3248

MEDIA ADVISORY

VERNICE HARRIS FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AND CHILD ABUSE RESULTING IN DEATH TRIAL SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2008

Baltimore, MD – April 21, 2008 – The murder and child abuse resulting in death trial of Vernice Harris, 30, of the 7200 block of Ashland Avenue is scheduled to begin at 11:00AM tomorrow before Judge Timothy J. Doory, 226 Mitchell Courthouse, 110 N. Calvert Street..

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Harris January 25, 2008 for first degree murder and child abuse resulting in death.

Court documents allege Vernice Harris is responsible for the death of her daughter, Bryanna Ashley Harris, 2, on June 5, 2007 in the 1700 block of E. 25th Street. Harris allegedly went to check on Bryanna in a second floor bedroom and observed her not breathing. An investigation revealed a combination of blunt force trauma to the abdomen and a substantial amount of methadone in the child’s system contributed to the death of the child.

Assistant State’s Attorney Ernest Reitz of the Felony Family Violence Division will prosecute this case.

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