Murder Conviction Overturned After Appeals Court Cites Flawed Jury Selection

NOTTINGHAM – A man convicted of murder in the shooting death of 28-year-old Vincent Leach will get a new trial after a state appeals court overturned his conviction, saying the judge made a mistake by not asking potential jurors enough about their relationships with law enforcement.

Nykhi Robinson 27, of Gwynn Oak, was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and a firearms offense November 14, 2023, after six-day jury trial, according to court records. Judge Mickey Norman (now retired) sentenced Robinson to a total of 80 years in prison, 60 years on the murder conviction and 20 years on the firearms charge.

The appellate court of Maryland issued its ruling Dec. 17, 2025, writing about the flawed jury selection:

The individual jurors determined on their own whether they could be impartial. There was no questioning regarding the character or duration of their association with law enforcement, and the court could not assess the juror’s credibility in answering whether that association would impair their ability to be impartial.

A new arrest warrant was issued for Robinson and served Wednesday, according to court records.

Robinson and two other men were arrested in connection with the October 3, 2022, shooting and charged with Leach's murder. Evidence led investigators to believe Robinson arranged a drug deal, leading to Leach being shot ten times in the parking lot of Hallfield Apartments parking, according to police. Both of Robinsons' co-defendants were found not guilty of the crime.