Family for 2022 Thames Street Attempted Murder Defendant Shows Tremendous Support at Sentencing

By Sam Parrish [former] - July 24, 2023
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

After nearly two hours of statements from the defendant’s family, defense attorney Tyler Mann told them that not all of them could speak on July 19 during the sentencing of attempted homicide defendant Joel Duncan.

“They all came here to speak,” Duncan’s mother could be heard telling Mann. 

The sentencing took place before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Christopher Panos. 

During the family’s statements, they all cited Duncan’s mental health and bipolar depression as the likely reason for the crime. Duncan’s mother said that her son’s mental health started to decline when the dog the defendant had raised from birth died. 

“We talked to him for 24 hours. We kept taking shifts, ” one of Duncan’s aunts said. 

The family also emphasized that the defendant was a good person. 

“Joel always fought for what he loves,” the defendant’s brother said. “Joel always chooses to see the best in people.” 

Duncan’s father also offered to make sure his son is never in Baltimore City again.

“I will give you a report every 90 days to tell you how he is doing,” he said. 

Later in the proceeding, Duncan addressed his family, saying “[I’m going to] do everything I can to prove I am worthwhile.”

In January 2023, Duncan was found guilty of three counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree assault, three counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, three counts of firearm use in a felony violent crime, three counts of conspiracy to use a firearm in a felony violent crime, and single counts of reckless endangerment, discharging a firearm, firearm possession with a felony conviction, having a handgun on his person, conspiracy to having a handgun on his person, having a handgun in a vehicle, conspiracy to having a handgun in a vehicle on a public road, and illegal ammunition possession for his involvement in a non-fatal shooting that occurred on Jan. 15 2022 at the Admiral’s Cup Restaurant and Bar.

Charging documents state that Duncan and Bruno got into a verbal altercation with three men at the Admiral’s Cup Restaurant and Bar. The altercation continued to the 1700 block of Thames Street, where Bruno and Maranto allegedly shot at the three victims.

One victim was shot and the other two were uninjured.

One of Duncan’s co-defendants, Nathan Presberry, was sentenced to life, suspending all but 40 years with five years of supervised probation, for the same charges on July 19. Co-defendant Luciano Bruno was found not guilty on Feb. 9, 2023, while co-defendant Ronald Maranto was found not guilty on Feb. 17, 2023. 

After listening to the family, Judge Panos stated that the “support was a breath of fresh air.” 

Judge Panos sentenced Duncan to an aggregate sentence of life, suspending all but 50 years, with five years of supervised probation.