BALTIMORE — The man convicted of shooting and killing a popular bartender, Alex Wrobleswki, in Federal Hill nearly three years ago has been granted a new trial by Maryland’s second highest court.
The Court of Special Appeals ruled that Marquise Winston should be granted a new trial because of an error in the questioning of the jury before his trial, known as voir dire.
The court’s ruling stated that Winston’s attorney requested that the judge ask potential jurors if they would hold it against his client if he did not testify during the trial and the judge denied to do so. Winston’s attorney also requested the judge ask jurors if they had any doubts about his innocence to which the judge also denied.
In the ruling, the court said “failure to ask the question on request is an abuse of discretion” and ultimately reversed Winston’s convictions.
Last year Winston and Tonya Hayes were found guilty in the death of Wrobleswki. In November 2017, he was shot and killed outside the Royal Farms in Federal Hill after getting off work.
