Jury deliberations underway in trial for Jaylen Prince, teen accused in deadly Maryland high school shooting
The jury began deliberating Thursday afternoon in the trial for a teen accused of shooting and killing a classmate inside a Maryland high school.
Jaylen Prince, 16, is facing charges as an adult for the shooting death of 15-year-old Warren Grant on Sept. 6, 2024, inside a Joppatowne High School bathroom.
Police said Prince pulled out a gun from his backpack and shot Grant during a fight.
Jaylen Prince takes the stand in his defense
The trial lasted seven days, with testimony from classmates, law enforcement, and Prince's mother. On Wednesday, May 28, Prince took the stand in his defense.
Prince explained to the jury that he did not mean to kill Grant. The argument from the defense was based on intent.
He testified that Grant was the aggressor. Prince said that Grant came from behind and tried to start a fight over his girlfriend.
Prince told the court that he said to Grant, "My hand is broke. I ain't fighting nobody," referring to an injury that required emergency surgery months before the shooting.
He then told Grant, "If you touch me, I will kill you," before he pulled a gun from his backpack to scare his classmates off.
Prince told the jury that Grant shook him, and the gun fired.
"I did not fire the gun. It accidentally went off," Prince said during his testimony.
Prince said he purchased the gun to protect himself because he "was afraid of a lot of places," after losing at least five friends to gun violence.
Prince's mother testifies
Rykiech Prince, Prince's mother, took the stand on May 27, claiming that her son had a limited range of motion in his right index finger due to the injury that required surgery.
She told the court that she always knew her children's whereabouts and often searched their rooms.
During a fiery exchange with Harford County State's Attorney Allison Healey, Rykiech Prince was asked how she missed the ammunition under her son's mattress and why he missed so many days of school.
Rykiech Prince said the missed days were due to her son's hand injury and several suspensions.
She also recalled how Prince went to school on the day of the shooting to fix his computer so he could attend an online school. Healey said the school was not made aware of the plans.
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