Allen indicted by grand jury - Suspect in Trinh murder case faces first-degree murder, burglary charges

A grand jury has indicted Donta M. Allen on first-degree murder and first-degree burglary charges in connection with the killing of Hopkins senior Linda Trinh, whose body was found in her off-campus apartment building in late January.

According to Allen's attorney, Warren A. Brown, news of the indictment - which was announced on Friday - was not a surprise.

"We knew it would be an indictment," he said. "We knew that was coming."

The grand jury's decision sets the stage for Allen, a 27-year-old Baltimore native who once worked near the Homewood campus and dated one of Trinh's sorority sisters, to face an arraignment hearing, according to Joseph Sviatko, public information officer for the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.

At that hearing, which is scheduled to take place in Baltimore Circuit Court on May 11, the State Attorney's Office will formally announce the charges that Allen is facing.

According to Maryland criminal law, an indictment of first-degree murder alleges that the suspect's killing of the victim was willful, deliberate, and premeditated. A charge of first-degree burglary alleges that the suspect entered the victim's dwelling with the intent to commit theft or another crime of violence.

During Allen's arraignment, the prosecution will also announce the penalties they are seeking in the case.

Although first-degree murder carries a maximum penalty of death, the prosecution can instead elect to seek life in prison either with or without the opportunity for parole.

But regardless of whether the prosecution seeks the death penalty, Brown said that his client will likely enter a plea of not guilty at the arraignment.

At that time, Brown is expected to make several motions requesting various pieces of evidence against Allen.

For example, although police and prosecutors have said that Allen's DNA was found somewhere on Trinh's body, Brown says that he will ask the State's Attorney's Office to specify exactly where it was found on her body.

In addition, Brown will also likely ask the prosecution to provide information about the interrogation that occurred in the hours following Allen's arrest.

"I'll be very interested in seeing exactly the particulars of the interview," Brown said.

During the interrogation nearly one month ago, Allen told investigators that he breached the lock in Trinh's apartment in The Charles on the day that she was killed with the intention of stealing items or money from inside.

He admitted to having a brief altercation with Trinh in which he assaulted her, but Allen maintained that he did not kill her, according to sources close to the investigation.

Also at the arraignment, the judge will set a court date for Allen's trial, which could be scheduled to begin later this year.