Weeks later, authorities announced charges against his cellmate, Gordon Staron, 34, who had been locked up since September after his arrest in the deadly stabbing of Keith Bell, 63, near a Baltimore bus stop. Jail officials have refused to answer questions about why Staron was housed with Gantt, a disabled man facing relatively minor charges.
The development came to light Friday morning during a routine Reception Court appearance for Gordon Staron, who is charged with murder in two cases: Gantt’s death and the fatal stabbing of 63-year-old Keith Bell in September.
"This case was deeply traumatic for everyone in the community and especially for the family of Evelyn Player, a matriarch of the neighborhood, who can never be replaced," Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates said. "This plea allows the family to receive closure and process their grief, resulting in a lengthy sentence that will ensure this dangerous individual never returns to the streets of our city again."
Bates is lobbying state lawmakers to make the possession of an illegal firearm a five-year maximum offense across the board. He emphasized this is not a mandatory minimum sentence.
Marchers also included newly installed Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates, City Council President Nick Mosby, state Sen. Antonio Hayes and state Del. Caylin Young.
Newly elected Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates dropped all charges against Davis on Friday morning — ending a case that Bates describes as a tainted prosecution led by his predecessor, Marilyn Mosby, and fulfilling a promise he made to Davis’ wife and supporters over his two campaigns to be the city’s top prosecutor.
Newly elected Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates is seeking tougher sentences for illegal gun possession. "I would like to have a five-year maximum penalty for gun possession across the board," Bates said.
Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates hired two prosecutors to lead the office’s high-profile special victims and major investigations units, and brought on a third attorney to spearhead a reconfigured post-conviction team.
Tuerk House in West Baltimore is adding a pharmacy, an urgent care facility, and other new amenities to help patients overcome addiction.
