Man Tried 4 Times In Baltimore Security Guard's Death Set Free

BALTIMORE, MD — A man who stood trial four times in the 2015 killing of a security guard was set free this week after new Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates dropped all charges against him.

Keith Davis Jr. was accused of fatally shooting Pimlico Race Course security guard Kevin Jones after police claimed his gun matched casings from the shooting scene. Before arresting Davis, officers shot him multiple times, leaving him badly wounded.

Davis survived and has maintained his innocence ever since.

The announcement freed Davis and ended a controversial case that repeatedly raised questions about police and prosecutorial conduct.

"Today’s dismissal is about the prosecutorial missteps of my predecessor in her pursuit of a conviction at all costs," Bates said in a statement, referencing former Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby. "I fully recognize the pain and anguish that repeated unsuccessful prosecutions have caused the victim's family, and I truly sympathize with them. Still, as State’s Attorney, I have a duty to ensure justice for all, not just the victim but also the accused."

Bates had pledged on the campaign trail to reconsider the case, which Mosby repeatedly brought to trial. Mosby was defeated in a Democratic primary last year while facing federal perjury charges.

Jones’ grandmother, Earlene Neals, said she felt blindsided and heartbroken by the news.

“Our family is destroyed,” she told AP by phone. “Kevin is getting no justice whatsoever — none.”

She accused Bates of using the case for political gain, saying she’s skeptical police will ever identify another suspect now that Davis is free.

Davis was the first person shot by Baltimore police after the 2015 death of Freddie Gray, a Black man severely injured in police custody whose case triggered protests and civil unrest in Maryland’s largest city amid calls for police reform.

A recent confluence of factors helped Davis regain his freedom after seven years behind bars, including growing support from activists and Bates’ 2022 election. Then a defense attorney, Bates beat Mosby in the Democratic primary, which assured him the election in November in the heavily Democratic city.

Davis requested privacy Friday and made no public appearance, though he was photographed smiling widely from inside a vehicle after his release. He celebrated with supporters, including his wife, Kelly Davis, who led a yearslong grassroots movement seeking to clear his name.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.