Prince Frederick, MD – A motions hearing for a woman facing murder charges was held in Calvert County Circuit Court Thursday, Oct. 8. Nicole Danielle Dalrymple, 29 of St. Leonard (pictured), is charged with murder and armed robbery and two conspiracy counts in connection with the death of Rodney Vincent Mackall, 52 of Prince Frederick. Mackall was found badly beaten outside his residence on Sixes Road March 3. He died from his injuries the following day.

Dalrymple’s co-defendant, Gary Sylvester Mason, 36 of Port Republic, pleaded guilty to a murder charge Sept. 25. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 11. Dalrymple is tentatively scheduled to be tried the following week.

Dalrymple’s attorney, Thomas Axley, filed a motion in limine—a request that certain testimony rendered by Mason be excluded during the trial. The attorney is also requesting the court allow him to present an expert witness—a doctor—to offer evidence that Mackall’s beating death was clearly a “crime of passion” on the part of Mason and his client, Dalrymple, was not a party to a murder conspiracy.

According to reports released by the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, Mason and Dalrymple were driven and dropped off at Mackall’s residence with the intention of buying crack cocaine. Mason later admitted to striking Mackall several times with a rubber mallet and also hitting him with his fist.

During the Oct. 8 hearing, it was revealed that Mason changed the story he told investigators at least three times. In one of the versions, he claimed to have struck Mackall in self-defense. In the final version, Mason admitted he became enraged when Mackall said something to Dalrymple that was flirtatious. Mason also told police that after he assaulted Mackall, Dalrymple went through the injured man’s pockets and took crack cocaine and a wallet.

Axley told Judge Marjorie Clagett that there is no evidence Mackall was carrying a wallet when the incident occurred. Police subsequently recovered the mallet used in the assault, as well as a quantity of crack cocaine but no wallet was ever recovered.

Assistant State’s Attorney Kathryn Marsh stated during the hearing that several of the victim’s relatives intend to testify during Dalrymple’s trial that Mackall was always in possession of a wallet, which was missing when he was found beaten and lying in front of his home.

“The focus of the court is to look at the totality of the case,” said Clagett, who added she would rule on the motion in limine Nov. 13.

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com