A Baltimore judge yesterday pushed back the trial in the broad daylight Edmondson Avenue killing case after one of the two co-defendants brought in a new lawyer, slowing a closely watched West Baltimore prosecution. The delay affects 21-year-old Noah Diggs and 18-year-old Kamya Stratton, who are accused of the death of 55-year-old Melvin White. Judge Melissa K. Copeland set a new pre-trial conference roughly a month away and warned that the postponement would push off the day a jury finally hears the case.
New counsel asks for time, state does not oppose
According to Baltimore Witness, newly retained defense attorney Donald Wright told Judge Copeland he had just stepped in for former counsel Natalie Finegar and needed additional time to get up to speed. Stratton’s attorney, Judit Otvos, also told the court she needed to sort out a conflict involving a witness. The State’s Attorney’s Office, which had been alerted to that conflict about a month earlier, did not object to putting things on hold.
Judge Copeland agreed to schedule a pre-trial conference one month out, then made it clear to Diggs that by asking for the delay, he would not later be able to argue his right to a speedy trial had been violated. In other words, the defense got the extra prep time, but it came with a clear warning on the record.
Police say victim was found on porch, autopsy revealed gunshot
The underlying case began the morning of Feb. 3, 2024, when officers responding to a report of a possible overdose found a 55-year-old man unresponsive on a front porch in the 3000 block of Edmondson Avenue. What initially looked like a medical call turned into a homicide investigation. An autopsy later determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the left shoulder, according to a media advisory from the Baltimore Police Department. Detectives asked anyone with information to contact homicide investigators.
Charges and earlier arrests
Detectives arrested one co-defendant and brought charges against both teens more than a year after White’s death. A juvenile suspect was taken into custody on April 3, 2025, and Diggs was charged while he was already being held in another matter, according to Shore News Network. Court records and reporting show that Diggs and Stratton face multiple counts, including two counts of first-degree murder, three robbery charges, and four firearms offenses, as detailed by Baltimore Witness. Both defendants remain held without bail.
Why the pause matters
Attorney changes and witness issues are routine reasons for short continuances in Baltimore, and this one fits that pattern. Still, every delay stretches the life of a case, which means a longer wait for answers for White’s family and more time living with uncertainty for neighbors along Edmondson Avenue.
Defense lawyers often argue that extra time is essential so they can review discovery, investigate, and prepare possible mitigation. Prosecutors tend to warn that long gaps can blur memories and make evidence harder to track down. For now, the next key date is the April 3 reception court appearance, where judges and attorneys are expected to settle on a new trial date and map out what comes next.
