Jury Finds Second Defendant in Gas Station Shootout Guilty

By Lucy Kim [former] , Andrew Michaels - August 26, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A jury found Davon Little guilty of seven charges in the non-fatal shooting of Rasheed Jones, who the day before, pleaded guilty for returning gunfire in a gas station shootout.

Little’s trial began as quickly as it ended on Aug. 25 when he and his defense attorney, James Sweeting III, stood before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Schiffer to pick apart the incident on Oct. 2, 2021, on the 3300 block of Garrison Boulevard.

Jury deliberations began shortly after 2:30 p.m. on Thursday followed by a guilty verdict for robbery with a deadly weapon, firearm use in a felony violent crime, illegal possession of a handgun, having a handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun on his person, having a handgun in a vehicle, and discharging firearms.

According to court documents, Little, 32, pulled a gun on Jones, 28, and took his wallet while he sat in the front seat of his car. Jones was able to knock the gun from his hand and flee from his car. However, surveillance video shows Jones exiting the screen and then returning moments later with a gun. Jones shot five times, hitting Little in the leg. 

On Aug. 24, Jones pleaded guilty to 25 years in prison, suspending all but 7 years, for first-degree assault; 10 years in prison, suspending all but five, with the first five years without parole for firearm use during a felony violent crime. The terms are set to run consecutively. He is also required to register as a gun offender and serve five years of supervised probation upon his release. Jones must also stay away from Little. 

The prosecutor called Jones up again to testify, the day before he had refused. Jones said he didn’t remember the video shown yesterday in the trial because of his medication. After the prosecutor told him that he was under oath and to tell the truth, he testified that he identified himself in the video shown. 

During cross-examination, Sweeting questioned if Jones could identify the other individual in the video. He said he did not recognize the other individual. 

The prosecutor called the primary detective who investigated the case back to the stand. On the first day of trial, the detective’s testimony was interrupted while the court was trying to get Jones to agree to testify the day before.

The detective said he requested security footage from the gas station. He said he recovered multiple cameras from different angles and recognized the video shown. In his review of the footage, he identified the defendant and the other individual involved in the video. 

The detective also presented shell casings and a projectile recovered from two guns on the scene. In addition, he said he went to the hospital, where Little was treated for his gunshot wound and identified the defendant the day after the shooting. 

Sweeting questioned the time codes on the security cameras and pointed out the sun at that time of day, arguing that the time of the incident was inaccurate. He said the time the detective testified to arriving at the shooting scene also did not match the time that appears on the security camera.

Furthermore, as seen on the video, the robber changes his clothes while off screen.

Sweeting argued that it is difficult within a short period of time at the gas station for the person who appeared to be the robber to change his clothes. The detective said the robber put another piece of clothing on top of the other and he could see the previous clothing underneath. 

The defense argued that there was no concrete evidence beyond the security video to connect Little to the incident, saying there was no firearm, DNA, or clothing that connected Little to this altercation.  

There is not enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, said Sweeting, reminding the jury that this was a life-critical decision that should be made without any presumptions.

During the prosecutor’s closing arguments, she began by acknowledging the fact that Jones did not want to answer any of her questions but said that did not mean what Little did was not real. Everything that was shown on the camera matched up with the defendant, she argued.

She said the video clearly shows there was a robbery involving a firearm and the descriptions from hair to clothes match the defendant. 

Little is slated for sentencing at a later date. As of Aug. 26, a date has not been publicized by the Maryland Judiciary.