Kanisha Spence, a former security guard, has been convicted of second-degree murder and gun charges after she admitted to firing her gun and killing a man at a Royal Farms in Baltimore. Spence claimed that she acted in self-defense and feared for her life while working at the store, but the jury was convinced by other evidence that she was guilty of murder. Witnesses testified that the victim had been arguing with Spence and refusing to leave the store before she shot him in the face. Despite Spence’s claim that the victim had threatened to take her gun away, the jury did not believe her. The case included store security video, although it would have been more helpful if the video had audio to fully understand what happened that night. Spence is also facing charges of perjury and making a false statement on a gun application in a related case. She accepted an Alford plea, which indicates that she does not admit guilt but acknowledges that the state had enough evidence to convict her. Sentencing is scheduled for December 21, and an appeal is likely.
At the trial, Kanisha Spence recounted how she felt threatened and feared for her life while working as a security guard at a Royal Farms store in Baltimore. However, the jury concluded that she was guilty of second-degree murder for fatally shooting Marquise Powell. The jury considered various charges, including first-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, and use of a handgun in a crime of violence, but ultimately settled on second-degree murder. Spence’s defense attorney expressed disappointment with the verdict, as they were hoping for a manslaughter conviction or a not guilty verdict. According to witnesses, Powell had a heated argument with Spence before she pulled out her handgun and shot him in the face. Despite Spence’s defense claiming that Powell had lunged at her and threatened to take her gun away, the jury found her testimony unconvincing. The absence of audio in the store’s security video presented challenges in explaining the events of that night. In a separate case, Spence faced charges of perjury and making a false statement on a gun application. However, she opted for an Alford plea, which implies that she acknowledges the state’s evidence but does not admit guilt. Sentencing for the second-degree murder conviction is scheduled for December 21, and Spence’s defense attorney anticipates an appeal due to concerns about the evidence and arguments presented during the trial.
Kanisha Spence has been convicted of second-degree murder and gun charges for shooting and killing Marquise Powell while working as a security guard at a Baltimore Royal Farms store. Spence claimed she acted in self-defense and feared for her life during the incident. Despite her testimony, the jury was swayed by other evidence presented during the trial, leading them to conclude that she was guilty of murder. Witnesses testified that Powell had been involved in an altercation with Spence and refused to leave the store before she ultimately shot him in the face. The jury did not believe Spence’s assertion that Powell had threatened to take her gun away. The trial also involved store security video, although the lack of audio made it challenging to fully comprehend the sequence of events that occurred that night. In a related case, Spence faced charges of perjury and making a false statement on a gun application. However, she accepted an Alford plea, indicating that she does not admit guilt but acknowledges that sufficient evidence exists for a conviction. Sentencing for the second-degree murder conviction is set for December 21, and an appeal is expected due to concerns surrounding the presented evidence and arguments.