Defendant in 2022 Chalgrove Avenue Attempted Murder Rejects Plea and Receives Trial Date

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The 21-year-old man charged in a 2022 attempted murder case was advised by his attorney Jason Rodriguez to reject a plea presented by the prosecution on Aug. 7.

Defendant Jonyai Lavaughn Napoleon rejected a plea of life, suspending all but 25 years with five years of supervised probation for attempted first-degree murder.

The defendant would have also been required to have no contact with the victims and complete abuse counseling as a term of the plea.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn set an Oct. 26 trial date. The trial will be before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Christopher L. Panos.

Napoleon is charged with three counts each of attempted first- and second-degree murder, three counts each of first- and second-degree assault, three counts of reckless endangerment, firearm use in a felony violent crime, having a loaded handgun on his person, having a handgun on his person and illegal possession of ammunition in connection to an Oct. 5, 2022 incident

Charging documents state that Napoleon and the victim got into an argument over a cell phone that belongs to the victim’s mother. The defendant left the victim’s residence and began to fire into the living room. The victim ran to the kitchen and was not harmed. The victim identified Napoleon as the man who she believes shot at her.