Attempted Murder Defendant Accepts Plea Offer for Shooting his Friend

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A 33-year-old man accepted a plea offer of 18 months with two years probation on March 7 for the attempted murder of his friend before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gregory Sampson.

Phillip Armstrong is charged with attempted first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, having a handgun on his person, having a handgun in a vehicle, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, possession of firearms, reckless endangerment, illegal possession of ammo, discharging firearms and use of a firearm during a violent crime in connection to an incident on June 5, 2021.

During an in-person hearing on Monday, Judge Sampson listened as the defendant’s defense attorney Paul Polansky said Armstrong wanted to accept a plea of five years suspending all but 18 months with two years probation for possession of firearm and reckless endangerment.

Under the plea, the defendant must register as a gun offender.

Polansky also requested if Armstrong could get home detention but Judge Sampson denied his request.

According to Fox 45 News, on June 5, 2021, Armstrong got into a heated exchange with a friend who was sitting in their car along the 3700 block of Fairhaven Avenue in Baltimore’s Curtis Bay. After a brief argument, the U.S. Marshals Service says Armstrong pulled out a gun and shot his friend multiple times. He later became a Baltimore fugitive featured on Maryland’s Most Wanted and was on the run for 6 months.