THE DAY. 57 YEAR OLD MICHELLE CUMMINGS WAS SHOT AND KILLED NEAR THE GRADUATE HOTEL IN ANNAPOLIS BACK ON JUNE 29TH, 2021. CUMMINGS WAS HERE VISITING FROM- HOUSTON FOR HER SON’S INDUCTION- INTO THE SERVICE. HE WAS A MIDSHIPMAN AT, THE NAVAL ACADEMY. PROSECUTORS SAY 31 YEAR OLD ANGELO HARROD PARTICIPATED IN THE DEADLY SHOOTING. HE’S CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER AND RELATED OFFENSES. HARROD SAYS HE DIDN’T DO IT. AND THIS MORNING, HE FORMALLY ENTERED OF NOT GUILTY TO THE COUNTS AGAINST HIM IN THIS CASE. IN COURT TODAY, WE ALSO LEARNED THE STATES WITNESS LIST IS DOZENS OF NAMES LONG AND INCLUDES MEMBERS OF THE DEFENDANT FAMILY. PROSECUTORS PLAN TO CALL HIS MOTHER AND HIS WIFE AS WITNESSES AND THE WOMEN WERE INFORMED TODAY THAT THEY WILL BE SUBJECT TO SEQUESTRATION LIKE EVERY OTHER WITNESS. AND THE DEFENDANT WAS NOT HAPPY BLURTING OUT MY OWN MOTHER. THAT’S MY OWN MOTHER. HARROD TOLD THE JUDGE. SHE IMPLORED HIM TO SPEAK THROUGH HIS ATTORNEY. I’M JUST SAYING, MY OWN MOTHER, THOUGH, HARROD SAID. THAT’S MY WIFE AND MY MOTHER. THAT’S CRAZY. THE JUDGE TELLING HARROD I YOUR ANGST ABOUT IT, BUT THERE’S NOTHING I CAN DO. THE TRIAL RESUMES TOMORROW MORNING WITH OPENING STATEMENTS IN ANNAPOLIS.
State seeks to keep suspect in killing of midshipman’s mother separate from others in jail
Jury seated in murder trial of Angelo Harrod
Updated: 6:12 PM EST Nov 28, 2022
A jury was seated Monday in the murder trial for the man accused of killing a midshipman’s mother last summer.The process began with 120 prospective jurors, almost 30% of them telling the judge they heard about the case before coming to Anne Arundel County Circuit Court on Monday morning.A panel of six men and six women, plus four alternates, was seated by the afternoon.Michelle Cummings, 57, was fatally shot near the Graduate Hotel in Annapolis on June 29, 2021. She was the proud mom of a U.S. Naval Academy midshipman and was visiting from Houston for her son’s induction.The trial for the Annapolis man accused in the shooting, Angelo Harrod, 31, got underway in an unusual way when a corrections officer helped Harrod get dressed, tying his necktie while Harrod tucked in his shirt.Harrod is charged with first-degree murder and related offenses. Harrod has said he didn’t commit the shooting, and formally entered not guilty pleas to all counts in the case.Anne Arundel County Assistant State’s Attorney Carolyn Grammas told the judge the state has security concerns if Harrod is moved to the Jennifer Road Detention Center during the trial, saying: “The brother of one of the witnesses is also housed there.”Grammas further said: “Mr. Harrod has been reaching out to others there to try and get in touch with people who are going to testify, to try and get them to talk to witnesses.”The state wants Harrod held apart from the general population.Defense attorney Howard Cardin argued in response, saying: “We think that is unfair for him to be housed — basically in segregation — for a trial of this length would be unfair to him … in a mental capacity.”The state’s witness list contains dozens of names and includes members of the defendant’s family. Prosecutors said they plan to call Harrod’s mother and his wife as witnesses, and they were informed they will be subject to sequestration like every other witness.Harrod was not happy, saying: “My own mother? That’s my own mother.”The judge implored Harrod to speak through his attorney.”I’m just saying, my own mother, though? That’s my wife and my mother. That’s crazy,” Harrod said.The judge told Harrod: “I appreciate your angst about it, but there’s nothing I can do.”The judge said she expects the panel to be seated quickly and the trial to last three weeks. The trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday with opening statements.
A jury was seated Monday in the murder trial for the man accused of killing a midshipman’s mother last summer.
The process began with 120 prospective jurors, almost 30% of them telling the judge they heard about the case before coming to Anne Arundel County Circuit Court on Monday morning.
A panel of six men and six women, plus four alternates, was seated by the afternoon.
Michelle Cummings, 57, was fatally shot near the Graduate Hotel in Annapolis on June 29, 2021. She was the proud mom of a U.S. Naval Academy midshipman and was visiting from Houston for her son’s induction.
The trial for the Annapolis man accused in the shooting, Angelo Harrod, 31, got underway in an unusual way when a corrections officer helped Harrod get dressed, tying his necktie while Harrod tucked in his shirt.
Harrod is charged with first-degree murder and related offenses. Harrod has said he didn’t commit the shooting, and formally entered not guilty pleas to all counts in the case.
Anne Arundel County Assistant State’s Attorney Carolyn Grammas told the judge the state has security concerns if Harrod is moved to the Jennifer Road Detention Center during the trial, saying: “The brother of one of the witnesses is also housed there.”
Grammas further said: “Mr. Harrod has been reaching out to others there to try and get in touch with people who are going to testify, to try and get them to talk to witnesses.”
The state wants Harrod held apart from the general population.
Defense attorney Howard Cardin argued in response, saying: “We think that is unfair for him to be housed — basically in segregation — for a trial of this length would be unfair to him … in a mental capacity.”
The state’s witness list contains dozens of names and includes members of the defendant’s family. Prosecutors said they plan to call Harrod’s mother and his wife as witnesses, and they were informed they will be subject to sequestration like every other witness.
Harrod was not happy, saying: “My own mother? That’s my own mother.”
The judge implored Harrod to speak through his attorney.
“I’m just saying, my own mother, though? That’s my wife and my mother. That’s crazy,” Harrod said.
The judge told Harrod: “I appreciate your angst about it, but there’s nothing I can do.”
The judge said she expects the panel to be seated quickly and the trial to last three weeks. The trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday with opening statements.
