Defendants Reject Plea Offer for Alleged Murder of 16-Year-Old Boy

By Katherine Strauch [former] - July 22, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Juveniles | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

Two co-defendants charged with the murder of a 16-year-old boy rejected a plea offer during reception court on July 22 at the Baltimore City Circuit Court.

According to the Baltimore Sun, George Fields and Joseph Williams approached Jordan Daniels on the 6500 block of Frankford Avenue on Sept. 29, 2020. Fields and Williams are accused of physically assaulting the boy, stealing his cell phone and $200 worth of crack cocaine, and then holding him down and fatally shooting him.

The prosecution offered Fields, 44, and Williams, 31, a plea offer of life, suspending all but 60 years, with five years of supervised probation for first-degree murder. Defense attorneys Andrea Jaskulsky and Thomas Rafter rejected the offer on behalf of Fields and Williams, respectively.

Fields and Williams face another first-degree murder charge and one count each of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and firearm use in a violent crime.

Fields and Williams were previously presented with different plea offers during postponement court on June 2; however, Jaskulsky and Rafter had not yet relayed the offer to their clients.

Judge Melissa M. Phinn scheduled the pair to return to reception court on July 27 to waive their Hick’s dates, referring to their right under Maryland law to be tried within 180 days of their first court appearance.

Judge Phinn also presided over another pair of homicide defendants whose case was heard in postponement court in June.

Baltimore residents Jerry Cruz and Ulises Lopez are accused of killing Sergio Jones on Mar. 16, 2020, on the 400 block of S. Lehigh Street, according to the Baltimore Sun.

During Thursday’s proceeding, the prosecution offered Cruz, 20, and Lopez, 21, a plea of life, suspending all but 60 years, for the first-degree murder, with three years of probation, and 20 years for firearm use in a violent crime. Both sentences would run concurrently.

Defense attorneys Raymond Griffith and Michael Baruch rejected the offers on behalf of Cruz and Lopez, respectively. Lopez previously rejected a plea of life during postponement court on June 8, but the prosecution was not present at that time.

Additionally, Cruz and Lopez both face another count of first-degree murder and one count each of possession of a firearm, having a loaded handgun in a vehicle, and having a loaded handgun on their person.

Lopez is also charged with one count of illegal possession of a firearm.

The pair are scheduled for trial on Oct. 7.

The final homicide case presented to Judge Phinn on Thursday was that of Baltimore resident Trevor McDole.

According to CBS Baltimore and WBAL TV, McDole allegedly stabbed his 57-year-old brother to death and assaulted his grandmother on Sept. 28, 2019. McDole, 27, was seen running naked from the scene on the 1800 block of E. Lafayette Avenue when police intercepted and arrested him.

McDole was offered a plea offer of 60 years for first-degree murder and three years each for two counts of carrying a deadly weapon with the intent to injure. Under the offer, the sentences would run consecutively for a total of 66 years.

Defense attorney Janet Andersen said she wanted to further negotiate the plea offer, so Judge Phinn scheduled McDole’s case to return to reception court on Aug. 27.

McDole is also charged with attempted first and second-degree murder and first and second-degree assault.