Michael J. Cowdery Sr. -- father of a slain Baltimore police officer -- could no longer contain himself in the courtroom yesterday as he heard excruciating details of his son's murder.
"You dog!" he exploded at defendant Howard "Wee" Whitworth, who is on trial, charged with ambushing and killing Michael J. Cowdery Jr. last March on a drug-infested street in East Baltimore.
"You dog!" repeated Cowdery, lunging in Whitworth's direction as his daughter, India Cowdery, threw both arms around her father and covered his mouth with her hands.
Judge Marcella A. Holland had just called a recess because of the gruesome details in the testimony of Officer Tiffany Walker, who described Cowdery's killing March 12 last year.
Walker, who was working with Cowdery and two other officers the night of the killing, cried as she testified that after Cowdery was shot in the leg, the assailant walked over to him and put a bullet in his head as he lay disabled on the sidewalk.
After the first shot, Walker Said, she ducked into a carryout restaurant on Harford Road. She heard Cowdery scream out. When she peered out, she said, she saw a hand holding a gun that fired the second shot into Cowdery's head.
Walker said she then pulled out her gun and tried to fire, but it was jammed and would not work. She said she did not get a good look at the shooter and could not identify him.
During Walker's testimony, almost everyone in the packed courtroom was wiping their eyes, including police officers, jurors, news reporters and Whitworth's family.
A deputy sheriff walked through the courtroom offering tissues.
After seven days of trial, the prosecution has not been able to establish a motive for the killing of Cowdery, 31, who had served on the force for 4 1/2 years. His father is a Philadelphia police detective.
Prosecutors have portrayed Whitworth, 27, as a "drug dealer and a cold-blooded cop killer," while the defense contends he is a victim of mistaken identity.
The rainy night of the killing, Cowdery was with several of his colleagues questioning three people outside the carryout restaurant on Harford Road. The officers were not in uniform but were wearing police badges around their necks.
That was when Whitworth came out of nowhere and shot Cowdery, said prosecutor Donald Giblin.
Officer Ronald A. Beverly, who was at the scene, returned fire and was shot in the ankle and leg. He was still able to chase and shoot Whitworth, almost killing him.
