Mother Forgives Co-Defendants Accused of Son’s Murder in 2019

By Andrew Michaels - May 10, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

In between moments of pause and tears, the mother of Donnell Brockington forgave defendants James Dunbar and Shamar Jerry on May 9 for their involvement in the death of her 21-year-old son after the two were found guilty of weapons charges last December.

A jury found Dunbar not guilty of first-degree murder but convicted the 22-year-old man of possessing an assault rifle, possessing a firearm with a felony conviction, and conspiracy to firearm use in a felony violent crime. Jerry, 23, was convicted of having a handgun in a vehicle, possessing a firearm as a minor, and conspiracy to firearm use in a felony violent crime, as the jury was unable to make a unanimous decision on his second-degree murder charge.

The other two co-defendants, Anthony Clark, and William Thornton, were found guilty of weapons charges and second-degree murder, respectively. Clark is scheduled for sentencing on June 8, and Thornton is scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 12.

Dunbar was sentenced to 15 years for conspiracy to firearm use in a felony violent crime and a consecutive five years for firearm possession with a felony conviction. The assault rifle possession charge was merged with the other counts.

Jerry was sentenced to 10 years, the first five years without parole, for conspiracy to firearm use in a felony violent crime and a consecutive five years for a minor in possession of a firearm. His charge of having a handgun in a vehicle was merged with the other counts.

During Dunbar’s sentencing on Tuesday morning, Brockington’s mother said she remembered receiving multiple calls over Instagram and answered the third call, finding out that her son had been shot.

“I prayed the whole way,” she said, sobbing, recalling her drive to the hospital. “I pray a lot, and I know God is real. … I forgive you. I would never want your mother to feel like I feel. The only thing that made me whole in life was my son.”

Dunbar, who was represented by defense attorney Roland Brown, maintained his innocence, saying that “prison is not going to do anything for me.”

“I was found guilty for [possessing] a weapon that didn’t kill anybody,” Dunbar said. “A lot of things that were, in this case, was a lie.”

The defendant recommended he receive time served after telling Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Dana Middleton that he “just put everything in God’s hands.”

“You don’t carry a handgun unless you intend to use it,” Judge Middleton said prior to imposing his sentence.

On Tuesday afternoon, Brockington’s mother spoke once more, telling the court that Jerry loved her son and that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time but “probably could’ve stopped it.” This contradicted the prosecution’s earlier statement that Jerry was a “complicit accomplice [and] not just present.”

“This was, your honor, an execution,” said the prosecutor, who was standing in for the assistant state’s attorney who tried the case.

However, Jerry’s defense attorney, Brandon Patterson, noted that his client’s gun was not linked to Brockington’s murder.

“He did not principally participate in the murder of Donnell Brockington,” Patterson said. “…The person he was then is obviously not the person he is now.”

Jerry informed Judge Middleton that he understood the seriousness of the case and was willing to take responsibility for carrying a handgun.

Judge Middleton commended Brockington’s mother for her strength, especially given these sentencings occurring so close to Mother’s Day, and acknowledged the victim’s mother “seeking closure by way of peace.”