Quan Lewayne Davis was busy looking for his missing cell phone during the fatal stabbing of University of Maryland sophomore Brandon J. Malstrom and had nothing to do with the crime, Davis' lawyer said yesterday at a bail review hearing in Prince George's District Court.
Davis, 23, of the 7600 block of Foxtrail Court in Hanover has been charged with first-degree murder and held without bail in connection with Malstrom's death at a party early Sunday morning in College Park.
The lawyer, Shawn Larson, said yesterday that Davis was innocent and asked that his client be put under home detention while awaiting trial.
Assistant State's Attorney Fran Longwell argued that Davis was "angry and upset" after he was asked to leave the party and that he helped beat up and kill Malstrom.
She also noted that co-defendant John Ryan Schlamp, 24, of the 8500 block of Winter Pasture Way in Long Reach, has also been charged with first-degree murder in the slaying. Schlamp is also being held without bail.
Judge Thurman Rhodes denied Larson's request.
Davis, a former athlete at Oakland Mills High School was expressionless and silent during his hearing.
After the bail review, Larson said that his client had gone to College Park last weekend to attend a party he had been invited to. At some point during the party, Davis encountered Schlamp, an acquaintance from when they attended high schools in Howard County, but the two quickly parted ways, Larson said.
Davis and Schlamp later ran into each other again at a party in the 7300 block of Dickinson Ave. in College Park, Larson said.
Larson said that Schlamp had started a fight with Malstrom over a missing cell phone and that Davis was in the back of the house, searching for his own misplaced cell phone, he said.
"He had no reason ... to be involved in the fight," Larson said.
Davis left the house shortly after the fight and did not know he was a suspect in the crime until he was arrested at his job in the 7000 block of Troy Hill Drive in Howard County on Tuesday, Larson said.
Members of Davis' family attended the brief hearing and declined to speak to reporters. But Larson read a statement written by Rafi Ahmad, Davis' stepfather, in which the family members expressed their sympathy to the Malstroms and faith in Davis.