Attempted Murder Defendant Rejects Plea

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A 46-year-old attempted murder defendant did not take a plea offer before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Dana M. Middleton in reception court on Jan. 4.

James Joyner is charged with attempted first- and second-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault, attempted armed robbery, reckless endangerment, firearm use in a felony violent crime, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, conspiracy to commit second-degree assault, conspiracy to use a firearm in a felony violent crime, firearm possession with a felony conviction, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, having a handgun on his person, illegal possession of ammunition and firing a gun in Baltimore City in connection to an Aug. 28, 2023, incident.

The prosecutor offered Joyner a sentence of life, suspending all but 20 years, with five years of supervised probation for attempted first-degree murder and a concurrent five year sentence without the possibility of parole for firearm use in a felony violent crime. Joyner would have also been required to stay away from and have no contact with the victim in this case, as well as register as a gun offender. Defense attorney Roya Hanna rejected this offer on her client’s behalf.

The prosecutor said he had not yet acquired all the evidence in the case and would turn everything over to Hanna by the middle of next week. He said that evidence would include audio recordings and records from ShotSpotter.

Judge Middleton scheduled Joyner’s two-day trial to begin on April 3 before Judge Alan C. Lazerow.

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