After prosecutors rested their case Monday against Ronald Derrick McConnell in an alleged gangland slaying in Columbia in 2008, the judge told jurors the trial could extend as long as Wednesday if a defense is offered.

McConnell, 21, of no fixed address, is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, attempted armed robbery and other charges in the death of Jason Batts, 23, of Long Reach, who was found shot to death May 17, 2008, in the parking lot of an Oakland Mills apartment complex.

Police arrested McConnell three days later, and he has been in the Howard County Detention Center since. McConnell’s trial started last Tuesday.

McConnell was advised by his attorney, Spencer Gordon, of his right not to testify at the end of court proceedings Monday. Gordon said he is still deciding whether to mount a defense. Howard County Circuit Court Judge Lenore Gelfman is presiding over the trial.

Prosecutors are arguing that McConnell organized the group that shot Batts and that Elijah Jackson, of Columbia, was the intended target because he had cooperated with police in a separate case. They say Batts was mistakenly shot.

On Monday, Detective Joseph King, of the Howard County Police Department, testified that during questioning McConnell had named Lamont Johnson, 24, of Owings Mills as the shooter and had said that Johnson was the owner of the shotgun used in the shooting. Johnson was a member of a Bloods gang known as the Bounty Hunters, King testified.
 
Johnson had called McConnell after the shooting to tell him that things “went bad,” King testified. McConnell also helped police attempt to contact Johnson and Daymar Wimbish, 18, of Owings Mills, both of whom have been charged with first- degree murder.

Wimbish’s trial is scheduled for May 11; Johnson’s is scheduled for Aug. 7.

“He (McConnell) basically indicated that his friends could corroborate what he was telling us about, but that they probably would not talk to us,” King said.

A plan was devised for McConnell to call Wimbish and Johnson, and police would listen, King testified. However, Wimbish and Johnson could not be reached, King said.

In part of videotaped testimony played in court, McConell also admitted to taping up the sawed-off shotgun used in the shooting.

Al Hafner, a fingerprint analyst for the Howard County Police Department, testified that McConnell’s fingerprint was identified on a piece of tape. Police have previously said that McConnell’s fingerprint was recovered from tape that had been wrapped around the gun.
 
Prosecutor Lisa Broten also admitted into evidence a statement of facts that was uncontested by Gordon that included the fact that McConnell’s DNA was found in the T-Shirt that had been wrapped around the shotgun used in the killing.

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