Diamante Teal was sentenced to life, suspending all but 70 years, for the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Travis Chance and the wounding of two others on Aug.13.
Teal, 29, was represented by defense attorney Jason Peter Rodriguez and appeared before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Dana Michele Middleton. He was sentenced following convictions for first-degree murder, first-degree assault, armed robbery and other related offenses.
Chance’s mother addressed the court before sentencing, describing the lasting pain of losing her son. She said no parent should have to bury their child and that she continues to carry the loss every day. She expressed hope that the sentencing would bring justice for her son.
The case stems from a June 17, 2019, shooting at a Subway sandwich shop near Morgan State University that killed Chance and wounded two others. Teal and his co-defendants were also charged connected to a July 11, 2019, robbery on the unit block of 25th Street.
During sentencing, the prosecutor asked the court to impose life plus 50 years. The state argued that Teal remained a danger to society, noting that he was on probation at the time of the offenses and had been involved in 27 altercations while in federal custody, including many physical confrontations with other inmates. The prosecutor also argued that Teal had shown no remorse
The state further highlighted the violence of the Subway shooting, noting that more than 20 shots were fired.
Judge Middleton ultimately sentenced Teal to life, suspending all but 70 years. The sentence included 20 years for conspiracy and life for first-degree murder, with those terms running concurrently. Teal also received consecutive sentences for first-degree assault, armed robbery and two firearm-use convictions, while several other sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
One of the firearm sentences was 15 years, with the first five years to be served without the possibility of parole.
