Judge sentences defendant to 43 years in prison for stabbing

By Jonathan Keesee
– October 10, 2024
court | Daily Stories | murders | piercing | Suspicious | Victim |

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lynn Stewart Mays ordered a 47-year-old murder defendant to serve 43 years in prison for a fatal stabbing in 2023.

Alphonso Ward was convicted July 26, 2023, of second-degree murder and possession of a deadly weapon with intent to injure for fatally stabbing 41-year-old Kevin Miller on October 13, 2023, in the 1600 block of Ramsey Street.

In court Oct. 10, defense attorney Marci Johnson acknowledged Ward’s previous convictions, albeit for nonviolent drug offenses when he was 19 years old. Johnson then recommended a sentence of between 15 and 25 years.

The prosecutor went into detail about the night of the incident, stating that Ward and Miller were in an apartment together for about 15 minutes until Miller was seen bleeding at the bottom of the stairs, stabbed six times and Ward was covered in blood. Johnson replied that Ward didn’t have a phone but called for help.

Miller’s family members were present and some spoke about the loss of Miller and how heartbroken they were. They pleaded with Judge Mays to give Ward the maximum sentence.

Ward apologized but still maintained that he did not kill Miller and that he should not have been convicted.

Judge Mays sentenced Ward to 40 years in prison (with the exception of 20 years of probation) for second-degree murder and to three consecutive years for possession of a deadly weapon with intent to injure. After his release, Ward will serve five years of supervised probation.