In the early hours of February 28, 2022, a 33-year-old male named Morris Hood Jr. was fatally shot in Baltimore, Maryland. The incident occurred at a residence on South Monastery Avenue, where a party was taking place. Hood was transported to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the shooting led police to identify Harry Cokley, then 36, as the suspect.
Cokley was arrested in March 2022 and charged with first-degree murder. The motive for the shooting appeared to be connected to a romantic entanglement, as Cokley had been involved with Hood's girlfriend. During the trial, Cokley testified that he was at the party with the woman but denied shooting Hood, claiming he fled the scene after hearing gunshots. The prosecution argued that Cokley's account was not credible.
In January 2023, a jury found Harry Cokley guilty of second-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, and illegal possession of a firearm in connection with the death of Morris Hood Jr. Prior to this conviction, Cokley had a criminal history that included a previous murder and robbery conviction from when he was a teenager, for which he had served 13 years in prison before being released in 2016.
