Judge Denies Use of Actors in 1992 Baltimore Murder Trial Reenactment

A federal jury is set to determine whether the Baltimore Police Department is liable for violating the rights of Clarence Shipley Jr., who was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1992. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher ruled that paid actors will not be permitted to reenact segments of the original trial for the civil jury.

The decision was made at the start of Shipley’s civil trial, where he is seeking justice after spending 27 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Shipley was exonerated in 2018 after a judge found him innocent, aided by the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project and the Office of the Public Defender.

Shipley’s legal team had proposed using actors to read transcripts of the original trial, as they felt it would better convey the context of the testimony. However, Judge Gallagher expressed concerns that the use of actors could distract from the evidence and introduce issues regarding credibility and presentation. She had previously suggested that summarizing the testimony would be preferable.

Shipley was convicted for the murder of Kevin Smith in Baltimore’s Cherry Hill neighborhood and has since maintained his innocence. His lawsuit, filed in 2021, alleges that police officers fabricated evidence and concealed exculpatory information during the investigation.

One significant aspect of the case involves a witness who initially identified another man, Larry Davis, as the killer, but this information was allegedly not shared with either the prosecution or defense. Additionally, the lawsuit claims that officers coerced a young witness into providing false testimony against Shipley, which has since been recanted.

As the trial progresses, Shipley’s attorneys aim to demonstrate that the actions of the three officers involved constituted a violation of his constitutional rights and seek both punitive and compensatory damages. The jury selection began on Monday in U.S. District Court for Maryland and is expected to conclude by July 24.

Reported by HarborBeat based on Maryland Daily Record (source).