Jury Finds Defendant Guilty in Gatorade Bottle Shooting

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A jury found James Richburg, 62, guilty of second-degree murder, firearm use in a felony or violent crime and firearm possession with a felony conviction on Aug. 8 following more than a day of deliberation. The shooting occurred after a dispute over a dropped bottle of Gatorade on a Metropolitan Transit Administration (MTA) bus.

After spirited closing arguments from both the prosecution and defense attorney Avrohom Greenfield concerning the motive for the shooting, the jury was asked to weigh the facts deliberately.

Richburg was charged with first- and second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, firearm use in a crime of violence, and firearm possession with a disqualifying felony conviction in connection to the death of William Womack, 30, on Nov. 30, 2024.

Greenfield earlier explained that Richburg believed Womack was harassing him on the bus and committed battery against him when he dropped his Gatorade bottle and reached over Richburg to pick it up.

Directing the jury’s attention to surveillance footage recovered from the bus, Greenfield claimed that Womack exited the bus, fumbled with his waistband as if trying to access a weapon and reentered the bus with obvious intent to attack Richburg, thereby provoking the latter to act in self-defense. However, the jury concluded otherwise.

The incident occurred at the intersection of S. Eutaw and Redwood Streets in downtown Baltimore.

The sentencing date in this case is pending.