Naval Academy Mom's Killing Verdict Appealed, Video Disputed: Report

ANNAPOLIS, MD - The man found guilty in the killing of a Naval Academy mother on Friday appealed his verdict, The Baltimore Sun reported, noting that three judges are considering the appeal.

Lawyers for suspect Angelo Harrod argued that body camera evidence was presented unfairly in court, The Sun said.

Prosecutors alleged that Harrod ran from police because he knew he was guilty of shooting 57-year-old Michelle Cummings of Houston, The Sun reported. The defense instead said Harrod could have been running because of his outstanding arrest warrants or evidence at his home of drug dealing.

A jury in December 2022 found Harrod guilty on charges related to the fatal shooting of Cummings, reports said. The Sun reported that Harrod was later given three life sentences.

Prosecutors said Harrod, a 32-year-old from Annapolis, hit the victim with a stray bullet in June 2021 while he was trying to shoot a couple returning from a date. The late Cummings was visiting Annapolis for her son's induction into the Naval Academy.

Court records show that the jury found Harrod guilty of one count of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder and three counts of related gun offenses.

The jury reached the verdict after just under four hours of deliberation split between Monday and Tuesday, WBAL reported.

Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess applauded the verdict in a press release.

"What happened to Michelle Cummings, an innocent victim, can happen to any one of us in today's climate where guns are used to settle petty disputes and terrorize communities into silence with the no snitching culture," Leitess said in the release. "Today, justice has been served with this conviction and I hope that the Cummings family and the two surviving victims receive some peace of mind with today's verdict."

The Evidence

WBAL said the trial featured "two weeks of testimony, more than 100 exhibits, hours of videos and reams of forensic reports, data analysis and more."

The state's attorney thinks a sweatshirt recovered by police was a major piece of evidence, WTOP reported.

"We got the clothing he was wearing that he's seen on video wearing and it had his DNA on it and had gunshot residue on it," Leitess said, according to WTOP.

Assistant State's Attorneys Jason Steinhardt and Carolynn Grammas called dozens of witnesses to the stand. WJZ reported that one of the intended shooting targets testified during the first week.

She testified that she was dropping her boyfriend off in Annapolis on Pleasant Street when someone called her name and gave a countdown to leave the area, WJZ said.

WJZ reported that the witness recalled hearing about seven shots before she could escape.

Prosecutors alleged that Harrod unsuccessfully tried to shoot the witness and her boyfriend three times, WBAL said.

The state's attorney said Harrod was "unleashing a hail of bullets into their car while they cowered inside of it."

WBAL reported that prosecutors told the jury this proves premeditation and that Harrod should still be charged with first-degree murder in Cummings' death, even though she was not the intended target.

The state also said Harrod was linked to the crime with surveillance video and cell phone data, WBAL reported.

The defendant originally pleaded not guilty to all charges. 

"You never expect a guilty verdict," defense attorney Howard Cardin said, according to WJZ. "Am I surprised, no I'm not surprised, but it was a well-tried case, I thought, and there was a good bit of evidence and we tried to refute it. As it turned out, the jury determined that he was guilty on all counts."

The case was tried in the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court.

The Shooting

Cummings was shot on June 29, 2021 around 12:21 a.m. She was sitting on a hotel patio in the unit block of West Street with the parents of another incoming midshipman, police said.

The shots were fired on nearby Pleasant Street. Cummings was not the intended target, officers said, but at least one stray bullet struck her.

Authorities alleged that the suspect was aiming for two uninjured victims. Medics pronounced Cummings dead at the scene, a press release said.

The Annapolis Police Department said officers arrested Harrod on July 14, 2021.

Related:

• Naval Academy Mother's Killing: Jury Selected, Murder Trial Begins
• Naval Academy Mom's Death Leads To Arrest: Police
• GoFundMe Raises $115K After Naval Academy Mom Shot, Killed
• Naval Academy: $20K Reward Offered After Shooting Of Plebe's Mom
• Naval Academy Mom Shot, Killed Before Son's Induction Day: Police

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