Non-Fatal Shooting Defendant Rejects Plea Deal

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On Feb. 27, John Eades received a May trial date from Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland

Eades, 31, is currently charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, firearm use in a felony violent crime, reckless endangerment, firearm possession with a felony conviction, having a loaded handgun on his person, firing a gun in Baltimore City and illegal possession of ammunition in connection to an Oct. 16, 2023, incident. 

The prosecution offered Eades a plea for first-degree assault dropping related charges. According to the terms of the plea, the prosecution would also drop the charges for Eades other pending case if he accepted the deal.

Eades and his defense attorney, Donald Wright, rejected this offer.

Judge Copeland scheduled Eades’ two-day trial starting on May 15. 

According to documents from the District Court of Maryland, on Oct. 16, 2023, Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert on the 2000 block of Gwynns Falls Parkway, where a victim reported being shot.

The suspect fired multiple rounds at the victim’s unoccupied car, causing approximately $4,000 in damages, but neither the victim nor bystanders were injured. The incident occurred near a busy bus terminal. Detectives obtained video footage and allegedly identified the suspect as John Eades.

Eades was positively identified by the victim and subsequently arrested.