An Anne Arundel jury found Carlos Rice guilty of murder despite evidence that the murder weapon was used the following day to shoot at his own car.
Eyewitnesses said they saw Rice, 21, kill Aaron “Peach Cake” Brown Sr., 44, of Annapolis, on April 15 in the Eastport Harbour House Community with a single gunshot to the back of his head.
The jury deliberated less than an hour Wednesday and found Rice guilty of first-degree murder as well as lesser handgun violations.
Rice faces up to life in prison without parole, said Kristin Riggin, spokeswoman for the State?s Attorney?s Office.
But defense attorney Gill Cochran said during closing arguments in Anne Arundel Circuit Court that Rice?s van was peppered with bullet holes from the murder weapon.
He said the bullet holes prove Rice didn?t have the weapon, and the witnesses are unreliable or mistaken.
“How does my man fire into his van except for the logical explanation that there?s a third person?” Cochran asked the jury.
He added that asking witnesses to identify the suspect in court “is like shooting ducks in a barrel.”
But prosecutors said at least three witnesses gave corroborating testimony that Rice fired the fatal shot.
Gwen Anderson and Angela Colbert testified they saw Brown, Rice and a third unidentified man come out of an apartment shortly after 11 p.m. and begin fighting at 1195 Madison St. in Annapolis.
Anderson said she recognized Rice as he ran past her after shooting Brown.
Assistant State?s Attorney Anastasia Prigge said during closing arguments that Anderson knew Rice from the neighborhood and wouldn?t mistakenly identify him.
“She has seen him over and over again … and she saw him that night,” Prigge said.
John King testified he was at the apartment with Rice prior to the shooting and saw him cock the gun before going outside with Brown.
“There?s your premeditation,” Prigge told the jury. “He?s arming up, he?s gearing up and getting that weapon ready to be fired.”
Rice was arrested the next day fleeing from shots fired in the same community. Police later searched Rice?s residence and found .40-caliber bullets in his bedroom matching ammunition for the murder weapon.
“When you consider the cumulative weight [of the evidence], it?s overwhelming,” Prigge said.
“He chose very deliberately to end his life by putting a bullet to the back of his brain.”
