Defendant Brandon Grimes was convicted of the 2008 murder of a Baltimore Police Detective

Baltimore, Md. (July 20, 2026) - Today, State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates announced the conviction of Defendant Brandon Grimes who, following a three-day jury trial, was found guilty of evidence tampering, identity fraud and related charges for his attempt to secure an exoneration in order to be released from prison and receive financial benefits from the State of Maryland. The Defendant received a 10-year sentence as a result. At the time of his sentencing, the Defendant was already serving Life without parole plus 18 years for the 2008 fatal shooting of Baltimore City Police Detective Troy Lamont Chesley Sr. in the 4500 block of Fairfax Road on January 9, 2007. Deputy Chief Michael Leedy and Assistant State’s Attorney Keri Borzilleri of the State’s Attorney's Conviction Integrity Unit prosecuted this case.

“The attempts made by the Defendant to falsely exonerate himself and receive financial benefits not only put the accreditation of our world-class crime lab at risk, but also undermine every real petition of actual innocence that comes forward from wrongfully convicted individuals,” said State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates. “Thanks to the diligent work of our Conviction Integrity Unit, this attempted deception was caught before a dangerous offender with a lengthy criminal record could be potentially released from incarceration and steal taxpayer dollars.”

In February 2018, the Defendant devised a scheme to fraudulently secure his release from prison, secure an exoneration, and defraud the State of Maryland of approximately $1,462,896 through the Office of Administrative Hearings. This scheme involved creating and submitting fake ballistics documents to the Circuit Court of Baltimore City.

In March 2024, Defendant Brandon Grimes filed a petition for Writ of Actual Innocence (WAI) with the Baltimore City Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. In the petition, the Defendant falsely claimed that, in February of 2018, an Assistant State’s Attorney ‘turned over various pieces of newly discovered evidence she found, and amongst those documents was a ballistic report she claimed she found in some box somewhere...’ That petition goes on to falsely claim that the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) suppressed a ballistics report showing the Defendant was also a victim shot by the same weapon that killed Detective Chesley. To support these false claims, the Defendant referred to and attached ‘Exhibit 1A,’ which was a purported Bullet Report to show that both he and Detective Chesley were victims of the shooting that occurred in January 2007. The Defendant's WAI and exhibits were submitted to the Conviction Integrity Unit of the State’s Attorney’s Office (SAO).  

The Conviction Integrity Unit determined the Bullet Report was a fraud and forwarded the findings to BPD’s Homicide Unit. The SAO and BPD investigation revealed several inconsistencies in the Defendant's Bullet Report, including the names and signatures of two firearms examiners who did not prepare or sign it. Additionally, the property numbers did not match and its style was inconsistent with that of an authentic ballistics report. 

Further investigation would reveal that the Defendant discussed his scheme with several individuals in recorded phone calls made from prison, which included references to getting out of prison, securing money from the State, and fabricating documentation. 

Since his 2008 conviction, the Defendant has filed numerous post-trial motions seeking release through different mechanisms. All have been denied by the Court.