‘I Am Not an Animal,’ Says Defendant in Sentencing

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Lenny Epps, who was convicted in May, appeared before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Myshala E. Middleton on Sept. 18 for sentencing.

In May, Epps was convicted by a jury on six charges for fatally shooting Alissa Traylor and injuring her two brothers in the middle of the night.

Defense counsel Ann Marie Gering told the judge that she knows jail is necessary, but asked that the judge consider that the defendant should get help for his anxiety and depression issues.

Epps told the judge, “It makes no sense you categorize me when you don’t even know me. I am not an animal.”

On the other hand, the prosecution said this was not Epps’ first conviction and there was no justification or excuse for his actions.

“My daughter’s life was cut short by senseless killing,” said the deceased’s mother in her impact statement.

After hearing from all the parties, Judge Middleton sentenced Epps to life for first-degree murder, a consecutive life sentence for attempted first-degree murder, a consecutive sentence of 25 years for first-degree assault, a concurrent sentence of 20 years for two counts of firearm use in a felony violent crime, the first five years without the possibility of parole, a concurrent sentence of 15 years for firearm possession with a felony conviction and a concurrent sentence of 20 years for another count of firearm possession with a felony conviction. Concurrent terms are served together while consecutive terms add to each other.

According to documents from the District Court of Maryland, a couple of days before the incident, Epps and the victims allegedly got into an argument about the defendant’s girlfriend, who lived down the hall from the victims in apartments on the 600 block of North Lakewood Avenue.

On Jan. 23, 2021, Epps allegedlyforced his way into the victims’ apartment while they were asleep around 3:30 a.m. and opened fire, killing 20-year-old Traylor and striking one of her brothers in his torso and her other brother in the groin.