Baltimore man gets 40-year sentence in deadly downtown beating

BALTIMORE -- A 33-year-old Baltimore man was sentenced to 40 years in prison this week after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in the beating death of another man outside of a downtown convenience store, authorities said Thursday.

Alante Batson received a life sentence with all but 40 years suspended, according to the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office, meaning he will only serve 40 years in prison. His prison sentence will be followed by five years of probation.

The conviction and sentence stem from the killing of Dionte Green, who died in December 2020, about a week after he was beaten unconscious near a store on West Lexington Street.

"The brutal attack on this victim on a busy downtown street is appalling and unacceptable," State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said. "I commend (Assistant State's Attorney Shaundria Hanna) for delivering justice for Mr. Green and his family. I hope those considering violence as a solution to their problems recognize that life-altering consequences will be imminent."

Green was found lying on the ground with severe head injuries in the 200 block of West Lexington Street shortly after 7:30 p.m. Nov. 24, 2020. He was to a hospital, where he slipped into a coma and later died of his injuries. An autopsy ruled his death a homicide.

Surveillance footage recorded nearby captured Green, Batson and another man walking in the area before the attack. At some point, the camera rotated away, but when it returned to the place where the trio had been, Green was seen lying on the ground and the two other men could be seen walking away from him.

Speaking with detectives, Batson acknowledged that both he and the other man punched Green in the face before the second man started kicking Green while he lay on the ground, prosecutors said. He also admitted taking some of Green's belongings.