In the quiet of a home on the 1200 block of North Woodyear Street in Baltimore, a life was tragically cut short on November 21, 2020. Lezatte Jackson, a 48-year-old woman, was found deceased on her bathroom floor. Initially, the circumstances of her death were not immediately clear, but upon examination, medical personnel discovered a fatal gunshot wound that had struck her spinal cord.
All the doors to the residence were found to be locked, adding a layer of mystery to the sorrowful scene.
The investigation into her death continued for nearly a year before a suspect was identified and taken into custody. In October 2021, authorities arrested Cornelius Hayes, the 45-year-old brother of Lezatte Jackson. His arrest brought a shocking turn to the case, as he was charged with first-degree murder and two weapons offenses in connection with his sister's death. The charges painted a grim picture of a familial bond shattered by violence.
The legal proceedings against Hayes commenced on January 4, 2023, in a Baltimore City Circuit Court. During the opening statements of his jury trial, a different narrative began to emerge from the defense. Hayes' attorney acknowledged that her client and his nephew were present in the house at the time of Jackson's death. However, she introduced the possibility of another individual being involved, a man described as Jackson's boyfriend and a 'frequent visitor' to the home. The defense suggested that this individual kept some of his belongings at the residence and may have had a key, raising questions about his potential role in the tragic events of that day. The defense attorney contended that a lack of concrete evidence would leave significant gaps in the prosecution's case against Cornelius Hayes.
