On Sept. 20, a 43-year-old-defendant scheduled for trial accepted a plea offer before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Yolanda A. Tanner.
According to the Maryland Judiciary website, Thomas Carol Royal was charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, use of a firearm in a felony violent crime, having a handgun on his person, discharging a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, possessing a firearm with a felony conviction, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, possession of a firearm with a drug conviction and malicious destruction of property valuing more than $1000 in connection to the incident.
The assistant state’s attorney offered Royal a plea of four years in prison, suspending all but two years, with three years of supervised probation for the illegal possession of a regulated firearm. Royal will also have to stay away from the victim and the victim’s residence. After consulting with his defense attorney, Eric Berman, the defendant accepted this plea.
Judge Tanner sentenced Royal per the plea terms that he agreed to.
According to the prosecutor, on April 5, Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert at the victim’s residence, on the 1500 block of North Mount Street.
She told them that the Royal, her ex-boyfriend, came to her house and banged on her door. He then demanded to see their daughter. The victim’s current boyfriend responded by saying he and the victim were trying to sleep.
At that moment, the defendant allegedly said, “I will blow your brains out,” and shot through the victim’s front door. The entire incident was recorded on the victim’s Ring doorbell camera.
Judge Tanner imposed a sentence of four years suspending all but three with two years of supervised probation. Royal was also order to stay away from the victim and her residence.
