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By
Andrew Michaels
, Noa Gelb [former] - January 12, 2023
Attempted Murder
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Court
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Daily Stories
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Non-Fatal Shooting
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Shooting
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Suspects
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A 20-year-old man had a summer trial date set on Jan. 11 for his alleged role in a quintuple shooting on Boarman Avenue last year.
A Baltimore City prosecutor offered Jarell Speaks a plea of life, suspending all but 25 years and five years of supervised probation for five counts of attempted first-degree murder and a concurrent 20 years, the first five years without parole, for firearm use in a felony violent crime.
Speaks is also facing five counts each of attempted second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, as well as single counts of being a minor in possession of a firearm, having a handgun on his person, having a handgun in a vehicle, and discharging firearms.
The defendant and his attorney, Michael Tomko, rejected the plea, which would have also required Speaks to register as a gun offender, stay away from the victim and his home, and complete drug and mental health treatment and screening.
Counsel and Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn agreed on a four-day trial to begin June 26 before Judge Lawrence Fletcher-Hill.
Charging documents state that Baltimore Police were called to the 2800 block of Boarman Avenue shortly before 9:00 p.m. on May 10, 2022, for shots fired. Two victims were found in the area, and three additional victims reportedly walked into a hospital with gunshot wounds from the incident.
Speaks, who was one of the wounded victims, was later identified and arrested as the suspect.