Plea Offer Under Negotiation in Shooting of Car Service Driver

By Zoe Foringer-Laing [former] , Sarah Driver [former], Evan McNeil [former] - July 12, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting |

A plea offer is under negotiation in the case against a woman who allegedly shot a car service driver over an open liquor bottle.

During reception court on July 12, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn heard the case of Baltimore resident Veronica Jiggetts, who is charged in connection to the non-fatal shooting nearly two years ago.

According to WBALTV 11, Jiggetts and another Baltimore resident, Aniyah Wright, called a car service to the 1900 block of Braddish Avenue in the early morning of Nov. 16, 2019. When the driver arrived, an argument broke out between him and the two women because he did not want an open bottle of liquor in the car.

Jiggetts, 23, then allegedly punched the driver in the face and was handed a gun by Wright, 17. When the driver exited the car and began running down the street, Jiggetts reportedly fired at him multiple times, eventually hitting the driver in the back.

Officers who responded to the scene found the wounded driver as well as six shell casings on the ground. The two women were later found hiding in the basement of a nearby home. 

Jiggetts faces charges for attempted first and second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, firearm use in a violent crime, conspiracy to use a firearm in a violent crime, carrying a handgun on her person, conspiracy to carrying a handgun on her person, and discharging firearms.

She is also charged with two counts of having a handgun within 100 yards of a public place and having a handgun in a vehicle on a public road. 

Neither Jiggetts nor her defense attorney, Roland Brown, were present in reception court on Monday. However, the prosecution told Judge Phinn that they were in the process of negotiating a plea offer.

Judge Phinn said that Jiggetts, who is currently on home detention, will have one more chance to appear in court before a warrant is issued for her arrest. 

The case is set to return to reception court on Aug. 9. 

Another case returning reception court in August involves the retrial of Baltimore resident Darrell Lashad Burrell in connection to a homicide on Christmas Day in 2017.

Burrell is charged with first and second-degree murder, firearm use in a violent crime, and firearm possession with a felony conviction.

According to CBS Baltimore, Burrell, 28, was involved in a verbal dispute on Dec. 25, 2017, at a bar, then known as Loafer’s Lounge, on the 6500 block of Baltimore National Pike.

Burrell and an associate, William Johnson, later waited outside for the others to leave the bar when they began shooting at them. Johnson shot one man in the chest, and Burrell fired into the group from both the ground and his car. 

Both men then drove away. 

Burrell’s defense attorney, Jason Otts, requested a postponement so he can have time to reach out to Baltimore County about a separate case involving the defendant. Otts plans to seek a global resolution for his client. 

Burrell is scheduled to return to reception court on Aug. 31. 

While Burrell’s case has been tried three times before, a separate homicide defendant received his first trial date during Monday’s hearing.

Baltimore resident Rickie Louis Young faces two counts of first-degree murder and one count of firearm use in a violent crime. 

On Monday, Young, 20, rejected the prosecution’s offer of life, suspending all but 45 years, the first five years without parole, and supervised probation upon release. He is represented by defense attorney Amy Stone.

Young’s trial is set to start Nov. 29 in courtroom 528 in the Cummings Courthouse.

Judge Phinn also set a trial date for Baltimore resident Durran Lilly.

In connection to a homicide on June 21, 2020, Lilly, 33, was offered a plea deal of life, suspending all but 20 years, with five years of probation, for attempted first-degree murder, and five years to run concurrently for firearm use in a violent crime. Under the sentence, Lilly would also be required to stay away from the victim.

He is also charged with second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, carrying a handgun, and discharging a firearm.

Defense attorney Bradley MacFee declined the offer on Lilly’s behalf.

Lilly, who has been in court for almost a year, is scheduled to go to trial on Sept. 7.

A plea offer was also rejected in the case of a non-fatal shooting defendant.

Baltimore resident Nathan Jones is charged with three counts of attempted first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, and firearm use in a violent crime, as well as five weapons charges. 

These charges are in connection to a shooting at a pizzeria on Oct. 8, 2020. 

According to CBS Baltimore, Jones, 50, entered the Pizza Man restaurant on the 4300 block of Reisterstown Road and shot three men. The victims suffered from non-life threatening injuries.

Jones later turned himself in and confessed on Oct. 19, 2020, according to an update from CBS Baltimore.

He previously appeared in reception court on July 8. At the time, defense attorney Julie Shapiro had not yet shared the plea offer.

On Monday, Shapiro rejected an offer of life, suspending all but 30 years, with three years of probation, for the three counts of attempted first-degree murder, on behalf of her client.

The case is set to go to trial on Nov. 30 in courtroom 656 of the Mitchell Courthouse.