A Baltimore City jury found 52-year-old Deshaen DePaul Carroll guilty on multiple attempted murder and firearm charges May 29 following a two-day trial before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Catherine Chen.
Carroll represented himself throughout the proceedings after dismissing his public defender earlier this year. He was charged with multiple counts of attempted first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, firearm use in a felony violent crime, reckless endangerment, and related firearm offenses stemming from a July 13, 2025 double shooting in East Baltimore.
During testimony, jurors were shown CitiWatch surveillance footage and aerial photographs of the area where the shooting occurred. A detective testified that the investigation began after ShotSpotter technology detected gunfire shortly after 10 p.m. Operators then directed CitiWatch cameras toward the area and captured footage that became central to the state’s case.
According to testimony, investigators identified a vehicle seen on surveillance footage and linked it to Carroll through registration records. The detective testified that Carroll was arrested July 19, 2025 after a Baltimore Police helicopter located the vehicle. A search warrant was later executed and investigators recovered evidence that included a loaded magazine and a wallet containing Carroll’s identification.
Representing himself, Carroll spent much of his cross-examination questioning the reliability of surveillance technology and identification methods. He repeatedly argued that emerging technology, including artificial intelligence, can manipulate images and video footage. Carroll asked the detective whether a person could be conclusively identified from a still image, to which the detective replied that a single image alone could not positively identify an individual.
Carroll also questioned whether additional surveillance footage existed that was never shown to the jury and challenged the recovery of evidence allegedly linked to him. At several points, he claimed that investigators focused on him despite what he described as gaps in the investigation.
During closing arguments, prosecutors told jurors that the evidence established Carroll’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The state highlighted surveillance footage showing a vehicle registered to Carroll near the scene and argued that clothing seen in the footage matched clothing Carroll was observed wearing earlier that day.
Prosecutors further contended that the combination of surveillance footage, vehicle records, and physical evidence demonstrated Carroll’s identity as the shooter, and argued he shot both victims before fleeing the area in his vehicle.
Carroll urged jurors to carefully scrutinize the evidence and reminded them that he was not an attorney.
“I ain’t no attorney, I’m just working with what I got,” he told jurors.
Before deliberations, Judge Chen instructed jurors that Carroll’s decision to represent himself could not be considered evidence against him and reminded them to decide the case solely on the evidence presented in court.
After deliberating, jurors found Carroll guilty of two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of use of a firearm in a felony violent crime, reckless endangerment, handgun on a person, possession of a firearm following a disqualifying conviction, possession of a firearm in connection to a controlled dangerous substance, illegal possession of ammunition, and discharging a firearm within Baltimore City.
Jurors did not reach verdicts on two counts of attempted second-degree murder and two counts of first-degree assault.
Judge Chen accepted the verdict. Carroll is scheduled to return to Baltimore City Circuit Court for sentencing the morning of Aug. 12
