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Sierra Hammond Charged In Intimidating Co-Defendant In Son's Murder Trial, Recording Captured Her Saying 'All Rats Must Go'

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A Baltimore mother was indicted on charges of witness intimidation in her son's murder case.

A grand jury indicted Sierra Hammond, 32, for witness intimidation of a co-defendant in her incarcerated son's homicide case.

Hammond was charged with witness intimidation in a crime of violence, conspiracy to commit witness intimidation in a crime of violence, solicitation to commit witness intimidation in crime of violence. She could be facing at least 20 years for each charge.

According to the city state's attorney's office, an investigation revealed that on Jan. 22, Baltimore Police Department officers were informed that Hammond allegedly posted a video on her son's Instagram account showing his co-defendant speaking to homicide detectives.

Police later learned that Hammond met with her son's attorney and reviewed the evidence against him. During the meeting, she made a copy of the evidence including the taped interview between his co-defendant and detectives.

Officers heard the recorded phone calls from jail between Hammond and her son and another inmate. They identified the co-defendant and at one point Hammond said "all rats must go."

Detectives said that Hammond's action could have lead to the assault or even death of the co-defendant.

"Community participation is pivotal for securing convictions of dangerous individuals, which is why we must safeguard victims and witnesses of crime to make it easy to come forward without fear of retaliation. We will hold violators accountable and I am committed to ending the "stop snitching" mentality which enables witness intimidation to permeate our city," said State's Attorney Mosby.

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