Jury deliberating fate of man accused of murdering off-duty Howard County deputy in Federal Hill
BALTIMORE -- The jury is deliberating the fate of a man charged in the 2023 murder of an off-duty Howard County Sheriff's deputy in Baltimore's Federal Hill neighborhood.
After not coming up with a verdict, deliberations will resume on Friday.
Deputy Ryan Demby was spending the evening in Baltimore last September when he got into an argument at a bar and was killed.
The 23-year-old was found shot multiple times shortly after midnight in the 1100 block of Charles Street.
Jewell Crowder is on trial for first-degree murder.
Both sides presented their closing arguments to the jury on Thursday.
Demby's family spent an emotional day in the courtroom, even leaving at times as the defense spoke.
Across the courtroom on the defense side, Crowder sat facing forward looking straight ahead while both rested their case.
Prosecutors say there was an altercation in Wayward Bar involving one of Demby's friends, who was kicked out of the bar.
They allege another dispute between Demby's group and the bouncer of that bar began and continued throughout the night.
At one point walking down Charles Street, surveillance video allegedly shows Demby taking out a concealed weapon in the street before putting it back in his waistband.
The prosecution alleged that Crowder saw Demby's weapon while in another bar and left to "insert himself into the dispute."
The state said Crowder waited for Demby nearby and shot him multiple times.
During their final statements to the jury, the defense called Demby an irresponsible gun owner and a threat to safety, saying that Crowder fired in fear and defense of his friend.
