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By
Sophia Strocko [former]
- June 4, 2024
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An emotional response from victims’ family members endorsed a last-minute turn in the plea offer and sentencing of a Coal Township, Pa., man charged with the murders of four victims over the course of two weeks in 2022.
On June 4, Jaheim Battle, 22, stood before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn with his defense attorneys Maureen O’Leary and Jerry Prince to plead guilty in two separate cases: one, the Jan. 30, 2022, murder of Clarence Joseph Buckner, and the second, the Jan. 19, 2022, murders of Tyrone Allen, 28, DaShawn McGrier, 29, and Hassan Smith, 24.
The prosecution and defense had initially agreed to plea offers for both the Jan. 30, 2022, case and the Jan. 19, 2022, case, which would run consecutively to one another. Battle would face life in prison for the first-degree murder of Buckner and 20 years in prison, the first five without the possibility of parole, for firearm use in a felony violent crime, which would be concurrent.
Additionally, Battle would receive life in prison for each of the three counts of first-degree murder and 20 years in prison, the first five without the possibility of parole, for each of the three counts of use of a firearm in a felony violent crime, all of which would be concurrent, in connection to the Jan. 19, 2022, incident.
However, as Judge Phinn was preparing for the sentencing for the murders of Allen, McGrier and Smith, she asked the prosecution why they were not seeking a separate life sentence for each victim, an inquiry met with agreement from members of the victims’ families present in court.
The prosecution and Battle’s defense attorneys then approached the bench and retreated outside the courtroom to discuss the terms of Battle’s plea offer resulting in a slight amendment.
Counsel updated the terms for Battle’s plea to the triple murder. The first life sentence for first-degree murder would be concurrent with the three 20 years in prison, the first five without the possibility of parole, for three counts of firearm use in a felony violent crime, while the second two life sentences for first-degree murder would be consecutive. Although no changes were made to sentencing in connection to Buckner’s murder, counsel decided that the sentence would be concurrent, not consecutive, to the sentence for the Jan. 19, 2022, incident.
If released, Battle must also register as a gun offender.
According to the prosecution, on Jan. 19, 2022, Battle fired 25 .40 caliber rounds into a crowd on the 2400 block of East Monument Street, killing Allen, McGrier and Smith and wounding one additional victim.
Court documents show that a week and a half later, on Jan. 30, 2022, Battle and his sister, Lexus Hart, followed Buckner to his home on the 3300 block of Rueckert Avenue from Horseshoe Casino. Hart knocked on Buckner’s door, asking to use the bathroom and texted her brother to enter. Battle then entered the home and held Buckner and his wife at gunpoint, demanding money. Hart and Buckner’s wife fled the home before Battle fatally shot Buckner in the chest.
Battle later confessed to the attempted robbery and murder of Buckner during a Nov. 23, 2022, interview with the Baltimore Police Department.
Hart, 29, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life, suspending all but 35 years, for first-degree murder, 20 years for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and 20 years, the first five without the possibility of parole, for firearm use in a felony violent crime, all sentences to run concurrently, on May 7.
About 10 members of victims’ families from Battle’s cases were present in court, three of which chose to give statements. Before the sentencing concluded, the mother of McGrier’s child summed up the sentiments of the group, telling Judge Phinn, “I am not the only one grieving sitting here. Our lives have been changed by the hands and actions of this young man sitting here… Something has to be done about these young men, and let’s start with Jaheim Battle.”