Baltimore security guard found guilty of murder in shooting of man at Royal Farms
Baltimore MD September 1 2023
A jury on Thursday found a former security guard guilty of murder.
The security officer stated that she shot an aggressive customer at a Royal Farms in Southwest Baltimore last fall because she feared for her life.
Facing a long prison sentence, the prosecutor stated that Kanisha Spence sought to justify her actions, as in other statements that were made previously.
Moments after opening fire, she told a 911 operator that Marquise Powell, who later died because of the gunshot, came at her. She said he attacked. That he threatened her life.
When Spence testified at her trial on murder charges this week, she said that Powell threatened to take her gun, something she hadn’t told detectives earlier. She added that she was afraid, and that she didn’t intend to kill him.
“It just happened so fast,” Spence said. “It happened too fast for me.”
The jury deliberated for about two hours considering charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and use of a handgun in a crime of violence.
Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said that “This conviction is a clear message from the men and women on the jury that our security guards must be held accountable for their actions when they make drastic and deadly decisions on the job. Carrying a weapon as part of your employment is an enormous responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. In this case, a man’s life was tragically cut short due to Ms. Spence’s deliberate and inexcusable actions.”
During trial, witnesses testified that Powell had been in and out of the store and argued with Spence, who told him to leave. She pulled out her Glock 17 handgun and shot him in the face. Powell died days later.
Spence claimed Powell lunged at her and threatened to take her gun away. But the jurors didn’t believe it. The case included store security video.
“I think it would’ve been great if the video had audio. I think that was the most difficult part to overcome, is to try to explain exactly what happened that night,” Hanna told 11 News.
In a related case, Spence requested a jury trial on charges of perjury and making a false statement on a gun application. But the state made an offer and Spence accepted an Alford plea.
Spence now faces sixty years in prison.
