‘Foolish, Bad Decision,’ Judge Says Accepting Involuntary Manslaughter Plea Deal

By Sara Palmer [former] - April 8, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects |

Homicide defendant Neil Cole-El accepted a plea deal on April 8 in the courtroom of Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Yolanda A. Tanner for his role in the death of 52-year-old Cynceray Washington-Greene on Jul. 8, 2023. 

Cole-El, 57, represented by Deborah Levi, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and handgun charges for a total of 10 years of incarceration and five years of probation.

Cole-El received 20 years, suspending all but five years,  for firearm use in a felony violent crime, 10 years suspending all but five years to run consecutively for involuntary manslaughter and a concurrent five- year sentence for illegal possession of a regulated firearm.

A family member read a victim impact statement on Washington-Greene’s mother’s on her behalf . The letter stated that she did “not understand how this case [was] considered accidental” and if Cole-El had spent “less time trying to save himself and more time saving Cyneray, she would still be alive today.” 

Levi spoke on her client’s behalf, as Washington-Greene’s family asked the defendant not to.

Levi told the court that Cole-El was taking this plea to relieve the family of the pain of going through a long trial and that he wanted to “minimize their pain.” Levi said her client was “deeply, deeply sorry,” and that he was “scared himself” during the incident. 

Judge Tanner ended the hearing by addressing the victim’s mother and expressing her sympathy for the loss of her daughter. She said that she didn’t believe that the next 10 years will be easy for Cole-El, and that there will be real punishment for his “foolish, bad decision.” She also told the defendant that she believed his sentence to be very fair and that he “can’t have any mistakes.” 

According to documents from the District Court of Maryland, on July 8, 2023, Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers responded to a call at an apartment on the 2800 block of Clifton Park Terrace where a female that had been shot. They were directed to Washington-Greene by the defendant, who told them she was shot by an unnamed man. She was then transported to Johns Hopkins, where she was pronounced dead.

During interrogation, Cole-El was adamant that Washington-Greene was shot accidentally but could not say who was responsible. Home security information was deleted at the time of the shooting leading police to believe that Cole-El tampered with the material. In addition, the gun police believed was used in the crime was found hidden in a vent in the home. 

Levi told the court that Cole-El illegal possessed a firearm on the day of the crime. When he went to move it, he accidentally discharged it, which led to Washington-Greene’s death. She said her client’s fear motivated him to try and cover up the crime.