Woman rejects plea in DOT employee beating, state filing additional charges

Baltimore, MD (WBFF) — The woman charged in connection with the death of a Baltimore City Department of Transportation employee has rejected a plea deal, according to the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office.

Back in November 2025, Kiannah Bonaparte was charged with first-degree assault and second-degree assault following the death of Gregory Turnipseed.

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Investigators said Bonaparte and her 15-year-old passenger assaulted Turnipseed while he was on the job after he asked them to move their vehicle.

The 71-year-old died nearly six weeks after the attack.

FOX45 News reached out to the public defender’s office after a report cited the Medical Examiner’s findings as a reason Bonaparte’s defense requested a postponement that the judge is said to have rejected.

The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office confirmed Baltimore Police filed additional charges.

Local Defense Attorney Jeremy Eldridge, who is not associated with the case, weighed in on the development.

“It’s not surprising that the office of the state’s attorney for Baltimore city is leveraging potential additional charges involving homicide or murder in order to get one of the criminal defendants involved in the death of Gregory Turnipseed to potentially plead guilty,” said Eldridge. “If the defense feels as though the medical examiner’s report exculpates or lessens the guilt of their client due to the fact that there were intervening medical circumstances, for instance, that Mr. Turnipseed had heart issues or other medical issues and that he did not die as a result of the injury sustained during the assault, that could be part of why they didn’t feel as though the State had this perceived leverage, even if they brought these additional charges because they could beat them at trial.”

FOX45 News questioned exactly what additional charge is being brought against Bonaparte, as well as any potential charges against the juvenile in the case.

ALSO READ | Charges unclear for juvenile involved in DOT assault, officials say investigation ongoing

Eldridge says laws in place may be protecting information regarding the juvenile, as investigators have not yet answered that question.

“The second thing you have to wonder is if we now know that the adult co-defending could be facing murder charges, could the juvenile defendant now be facing murder charges?” questioned Eldridge. “That will also be an interesting move from the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office.”

It’s unclear when Bonaparte will be back in court.