Baltimore Man Takes Five-Year Plea for East 20th Street Shooting in 2022

By Andrew Michaels - June 28, 2023
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A 38-year-old man accused of an attempted murder last year told Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea Handy that his actions were the result of him trying to protect his cousin during a shoot-out on East 20th Street.

Thomas Brooks Jr. stood beside his defense attorney, Tony Garcia, on June 27 when he accepted the prosecution’s plea offer of 20 years, suspending all but five years, and four years of supervised probation for first-degree assault, and a concurrent five years without parole for firearm use in a felony violent crime.

In addition to the aforementioned charges, Brooks was initially facing attempted first and second-degree murder, conspiracy to first-degree murder, conspiracy to first-degree assault, conspiracy to firearm use in a felony violent crime, having a handgun on his person, and conspiracy to having a handgun on his person.

The incident in question occurred on Feb. 22, 2022, on the 1000 block of East 20th Street, where a 45-year-old victim was shot.

“I worked hard for a very long time to keep a clean record,” Brooks told Judge Handy on Tuesday morning. “The gun that I had was registered to me. Baltimore City is a very rough place in terms of murders. I thought it best for me to protect myself, but in a legal way.”

Brooks said he hoped that this incident did not tarnish his name.

“This makes me sad for so many reasons,” Judge Handy responded, describing the defendant as a “caring and intelligent human being.”

However, given the city’s dangerous nature, she continued, “That doesn’t mean we should arm ourselves and take the law into our own hands.”

Under Brooks’ plea, he is also required to register as a gun offender. Judge Handy waived the defendant’s supervision fees, but required him to pay $165 in court costs.