Second Suspect Shot Victim for ‘Beating On’ His Mother, Defense Argues at Co-Defendant’s Trial

By Andrew Michaels - September 26, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

“He’s into it up to his neck, but not by choice.”

According to defense attorney Marci Johnson, defendant James Jenkins III had no idea what the accused shooter had planned when he shot and killed 31-year-old Phillip Wallace in the parking lot of Pimlico Elementary School on June 30, 2022. Described as a “naive 18-year-old,” Johnson said her client had no arrests and had an offer for a college scholarship.

“He didn’t belong in that world,” she said during closing arguments on Sept. 18.

Later that day, Jenkins was found not guilty of two counts of first-degree murder as well as firearm use in a felony or violent crime and conspiracy to firearm use in a felony or violent crime. He was also granted a judgment of acquittal for having a handgun on his person and in a vehicle.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones presided over the trial.

The defense attorney explained that evidence pointed to a second suspect, Aamir Benton, as the sole planner and executor in Wallace’s murder. Benton was released from prison only a week prior to the shooting and had planned to shoot the victim, who was identified as Benton’s mother’s boyfriend and accused of “beating on her.”

Benton is currently set to stand trial before Judge Melissa M. Phinn on Oct. 21.

Johnson argued that Jenkins did “not look comfortable” and appeared “scared” in surveillance footage from Big Bro Mini Mart, where Benton and Jenkins convened after the shooting. She suggested to the jury the possible outcomes if the defendant had told Benton he was “out” once they left the crime scene.

“This was not [Jenkins’] murder. This was Aamir,” she said.

Earlier in the proceeding, the prosecutor broke down the whereabouts and actions of Jenkins, Benton and Wallace before and after the shooting, beginning just before 9 p.m. at the mini mart. Video footage showed the three men talking and then getting into a vehicle outside the store, with additional footage showing the car travel to the elementary school’s parking lot.

Gunfire was visible in the footage at 9:23 p.m., the prosecutor said, followed by Benton getting out of the car and joined by Jenkins moments later. Both men returned to the mini mart about 15 minutes later; however, video footage showed Benton return to the crime scene to retrieve something he left behind—something that may have linked him to the shooting, the prosecutor noted.

It wasn’t until April 2023 when Jenkins was questioned by Baltimore Police and tried to “limit his exposure,” the prosecutor said.

“He wants desperately to know how much the police know,” he said, adding that Jenkins repeatedly asked to see the video footage obtained by police during questioning.

The prosecutor did not deny Benton as the shooter, but argued Jenkins was aware of his intention to kill Wallace. Benton “wanted to do something about” the domestic violence between his mother and the victim, he concluded.