2 Youths Charged As Adults Head to Trial

By Baltimore Witness staff - September 2, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Juveniles | Suspects | Victims |

Two juvenile co-defendants, charged as adults for a fatal carjacking, were scheduled for a trial date after rejecting a plea offer on Sept. 2 at Baltimore City Circuit Court. The youths are now headed to trial.

The teenagers, Donyae Witherspoon,17, and Terrance Wilbon, 16, are accused of a carjacking, which resulted in the death of a man on April 2.

According to the Baltimore Sun, around 5 a.m. on the 100 block of N. Conkling St., an officer patrolling the area saw three suspects attempting to carjack a man. They struck the man with the vehicle and dragged him multiple blocks while attempting to drive away.

The victim, Fabian Mendez, 41, was pronounced dead at the hospital. 

An Associated Press reported that one juvenile was arrested two blocks from the scene and charged as an adult. A second juvenile was also arrested in connection to the crime over a week later and also charged as an adult. A third juvenile, 13, was also arrested, but is being charged with murder in juvenile court.

The 16 and 17 year old face the same charges of first-degree murder, carjacking, and conspiracy to commit a carjacking.

The prosecution offered the same plea to both teens: life, suspending all but 45 years, and five years probation for first-degree murder.

Defense attorney Roland Harris, representing the 16 year old, and Robert Linthicum, representing the 17 year old, said they had not yet relayed the plea to their clients.

A trial date was set for March 8, 2022, with Judge Barry Williams presiding.