Defendant Sentenced to 20 Years for a Shooting That Left Him a Widower

By Ashley Oiler - June 18, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A 35-year-old was sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 17 for a shooting in the Franklin Square neighborhood last summer that claimed his wife’s life.

Jamal Piles appeared in court with his attorneys, Amanda Savage and Gabrielle Fortunato, before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Robert K. Taylor, Jr. The judge sentenced Piles to 10 years for second-degree assault to run concurrently with 10 years, the first five without the possibility of parole for firearm use in a felony violent crime, concurrent to another five years for reckless endangerment. 

Piles was also found guilty of one count of having a loaded handgun on his person but the charge was merged with the firearm use in a felony violent crime sentence. Piles was found guilty of these four charges on Feb. 28 during a jury trial. 

According to police reports, Piles and his wife were involved in a shooting on June 6, 2023, on the 1300 block of Booth Street near Franklin Square and during the incident his wife was fatally wounded. 

According to previous reports, the defense argued Piles acted in self-defense, while the prosecution said Piles was the aggressor.  Savage earlier said Piles, a rapper and record label owner, arrived at the scene to negotiate being featured in a song, but after a shooter fired, he took a defensive position to save himself and his wife. 

Piles’ wife’s sister and her son spoke emotionally before the sentence. They blamed Piles for putting his wife in a situation that ended her life. Her son said Piles “was a coward” and only concerned with himself during the incident, not his wife’s safety. 

The prosecution recommended a maximum sentence of 38 years total with the first five without the possibility of parole. In his statement, the prosecution said this incident was a prime example of the gun violence problem in Baltimore which causes good people like Piles’ wife to be killed.

Savage and Fortunato recommended a minimum of four years for second-degree assault, 12 years for firearm use in a felony violent crime and five years for both reckless endangerment and carrying a handgun on his person. They restated that Piles already lost the love of his life and was remorseful. Savage said he was a changed man.

Ultimately, Piles was sentenced to 20 years, the first five without the possibility of parole. He will have to register as a gun offender upon release.