Latest news with #JoppatowneHighSchool
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘I did not fire the gun': Alleged Maryland high school shooter testifies in murder trial
BALTIMORE — Jaylen Prince testified in his own defense Wednesday in Harford County Circuit Court, saying he did not intentionally shoot and kill fellow Joppatowne High School student Warren Grant. Prince, 16, is charged with first-degree murder in the September shooting death of 15-year-old Grant inside a high school bathroom. Prince testified that the gun went off because Grant 'shook' him. 'I did not kill him,' Prince said. 'I did not fire the gun. It accidentally went off.' Harford County State's Attorney Alison Healey cross-examined Prince, asking him why he had a gun inside the school. Prince testified that he routinely carried the gun because he was scared and because he did not want to leave it at home where his mother or younger siblings could find it. He said carrying the gun was the 'only way' he felt he could protect himself, and that he had lost many friends to gun violence. Healey showed numerous images of Prince holding guns. Investigators found the photos on Prince's cellphone. In one, Prince is pictured inside a relative's home with the Polymer 80 handgun he purchased in August. Healey used the image to contradict Prince's claim that he would only carry a gun when he felt unsafe by emphasizing that he often had a handgun in 'safe' environments. Prince testified that he and Grant began arguing in the bathroom after a misunderstanding about Grant's girlfriend. He said he didn't know Grant was in the bathroom until Grant 'blew smoke' into his face and 'kept getting closer,' trying to fight Prince. 'I told him I would kill him to get him to stop,' Prince testified. 'I didn't mean it.' Prince testified that he became 'frantic' when Grant's friends began to 'surround him.' In a cellphone video of the incident, Prince can be seen with his back to the entrance of the bathroom yelling in Grant's face with one of Grant's friends between him and Grant. Healey asked Prince, if he was scared of Grant, why would he yell in his face? 'That's a scare tactic,' Prince responded. In the video, Prince tells Grant that he would not fight him because his hand is broken — referring to an injury to his right index finger he sustained about a year earlier. Prince testified that as Grant 'kept getting closer,' he drew the gun as another means of scaring him into backing away. The gun, Prince said, was in his right hand. Prince's mother testified Tuesday that Prince's right index finger does not have full mobility since it was broken. Prince's defense attorney, Stacey Pipkin, physically recreated the scene in the bathroom, demonstrating how Grant allegedly shook Prince by his shoulders, prompting the gun to point from Prince's waist area toward Grant's chest before going off. 'I could not believe it happened,' Prince testified. 'I panicked and ran out of the bathroom.' Prince underwent several hours of questioning from both the defense and prosecution after which the defense rested its case. Closing arguments are expected to begin at 9 a.m. Thursday, after which jury deliberations will begin. ___________
CBS News
27-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Prosecution rests in trial for teen accused of deadly Maryland high school shooting
The prosecution rested its case Tuesday in the trial for a 16-year-old accused of shooting a teen in a Maryland high school bathroom. Jaylen Prince, 16, is being charged as an adult for the fatal shooting of Warren Grant at Joppatowne High School on Sept. 6, 2024 Prosecutors wrapped up their arguments on the fifth day of the trial after jurors heard from students, staff, investigators and neighbors. Digital forensics shows proof of gun purchase On Tuesday, digital forensics expert Heather Marsh said Prince's cell phone proved that the teen bought a gun about three weeks before the fatal shooting. According to Marsh, text messages between Prince and a contact known as "Baby Face" show that the two arranged the purchase of a gun on August 12. After that, Prince sent Baby Face $700 on CashApp. In the following days, Prince took several photos of a P80 Hornady 9mm gun. Some of the photos show him holding the gun, Marsh testified. Gun seen in photos match bullets at crime scene Corporal Brad Ghaner testified that the gun in the photos matched the type of bullets that were found at the scene and the ones recovered from under Prince's mattress during a search. Those bullets also matched the type of casings recovered from the scene and the bullets recovered from Grant's body during his autopsy. The defense argued that just because the bullets matched does not mean the bullet came from the pack found in Prince's home. Jurors also learned Tuesday that Prince made a number of searches on his phone about types of guns, gun accessories, and CashApp. Those included searches about hollow point bullets, which Ghaner testified are more dangerous than standard bullets. After the state rested its case, the defense requested that Prince's charges be reduced, arguing that the state did not prove premeditation. The judge ultimately denied the request. Firearm not recovered after school shooting The gun that was used in the shooting at Joppatowne High has still not been recovered by law enforcement. Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said a state law about interrogating minors prevented law enforcement from finding the firearm. A county detective who reviewed Ring doorbell video from a neighbor testified about hearing Prince say, "Toss that f******* gun in the water, real s***" as he was on the phone after the shooting. Students testify argument over girl prompted school shooting During Prince's trial, some of his classmates testified that an argument over a girl may have led to the fatal shooting. A student who said he was a close friend of Prince testified about seeing Prince flirting with Grant's girlfriend. He later told Prince that Grant said to stay away from the girl, which he said seemed to agitate him. Another student recalled how Grant told him to take a video when he and Prince began arguing in a bathroom. The video captured Prince saying, "I am going to kill you" before he pulled something from his backpack. Principal testifies about Prince's fights and absences According to Joppatowne High School Principal Melissa Williams, Prince had a history of getting into trouble and had more than 100 absences during the 2023-24 school year. Williams said the day of the shooting was the fourth school day, but it was the first day of the year that Prince showed up to school. She recalled telling Prince to see about getting a locker, as it was against school policy to carry a backpack around all day.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- CBS News
Principal testifies during trial for teen charged in Maryland high school shooting
Testimony continues in the trial for teen charged in deadly Joppatowne High School shooting Testimony continues in the trial for teen charged in deadly Joppatowne High School shooting Testimony continues in the trial for teen charged in deadly Joppatowne High School shooting The principal of a Maryland high school testified Thursday in the trial for a teen accused of killing his classmate in September 2024. Jaylen Prince, 16, is being charged as an adult for the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Warren Grant in a Joppatowne High School bathroom. On Thursday, during the third day of the trial, the judge warned that any threatening comments by members of the gallery would not be tolerated and could bring criminal charges. Joppatowne High School principal testifies Joppatowne High School Principal Melissa Williams took the stand Thursday and recounted the morning of Sept. 6, 2024. William said she was on a call in her office when she noticed students running from the B Wing of the school. She followed and eventually saw five or six students carrying an unresponsive Grant down the hallway. William told the jury that Prince had a history of getting into trouble at school. He had been involved in multiple fights and had more than 100 absences in the 2023-24 school year, Williams said. According to William, the day of the fatal shooting was the fourth day of the school year, but it was the first day Prince had been at school that year. Williams testified that she saw Prince about an hour before the shooting. She recalled telling Prince to see the assistant principal about getting a locker, since it is against school policy to carry a backpack all day. Photos of Prince's backpack at the scene of the shooting were shown in court. Witnesses said they saw Prince pull something from the bag before a gunshot was fired. Recreating the scene of the Joppatowne High School shooting Det. Michael Wilsynski with the Harford County Sheriff's forensic services unit testified Thursday, sharing how deputies recreated the shooting scene using 3D cameras. Video Forensic Analyst Michael Widenhouse also testified about how he collected and analyzed hours of surveillance video from the school after the shooting. That video was shared in court. It showed Prince skipping down a hallway as a crowd of students tried to leave the school after Grant was shot. Video from outside the school showed Prince interacting with another classmate who appeared to take something from the backpack. It was unclear what the item was. Firearm never recovered in Maryland school shooting The firearm that was used in the Joppatowne High School shooting was never recovered. During the investigation, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said Maryland's Child Interrogation Protection Act hampered the ability of law enforcement to find the gun. Under the state law, minors must consult with an attorney and a parent before they can be interrogated. "...we are not allowed to ask the person who committed that act because of this crazy legislation," he said. During a bail hearing, prosecutors indicated that Prince may know where the missing gun is. Officials reported finding bullets in Prince's room and photos of him holding the firearm on his phone. Classmates say argument over a girl prompted school shooting During the second day of the trial, a close friend of Grant and Prince testified that an argument over a girl led to the deadly shooting in Joppatown High. The student recalled seeing Prince flirting with Grant's girlfriend. The student said he told Prince that Grant said to stay away from the girl, and Prince replied that "Nobody wants her." According to the student, Prince seemed agitated after that interaction. Another student said Grant told him to take a video when he and Prince began arguing in a school bathroom right before the shooting. The video captured Prince saying, "I am going to kill you," before he reached into his backpack and produced a gun.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- CBS News
Opening statement underway in trial for teen accused in deadly Harford County high school shooting
Opening statements began Wednesday in the trial for a teen accused of a deadly Harford County high school shooting. Jaylen Prince, 16, is being charged as an adult for shooting and killing a 15-year-old classmate inside a bathroom at Joppatowne High School in September 2024. Prince is facing several charges, including murder and assault. Jury seated in Joppatowne High School shooting trial A jury of eight women and four men was seated on Wednesday morning, after about 103 people were questioned. On Tuesday, the potential jurors were asked if they had attended or had family who attended Joppatowne High School and if they were concerned about viewing graphic images. About 72% of those potential jurors said they had knowledge of the case. Nearly 30% of them said they had strong feelings about cases involving minors. After the initial 12 jurors were seated, an additional four were picked as alternates. What happened during the Joppatowne High School shooting The shooting at Joppatowne High School on Sept. 6, 2024, left 15-year-old Warrent Grant dead. According to witnesses, Grant and Prince were arguing inside a men's bathroom when Prince took a gun from his backpack and shot Grant, killing him. During a bail hearing, prosecutors argued that Prince was a danger to the community, especially because the gun used in the shooting was not initially found. He was denied bail. During the investigation, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler expressed frustration with state laws, saying they limited investigators' ability to find the firearm. "There are families of every other student in that school, and the parents of the shooter, who have a right to know why we are all standing here today, and why there's a person who has been shot in one of our schools and we are not allowed to ask the person who committed that act because of this crazy legislation," he said in reference to Maryland's Child Interrogation Protection Act. School shooting sparks calls for security, leadership changes The fatal shooting at Joppatowne High School prompted fierce calls for increased security in schools. Some members of the community and the board of education called for Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sean Bulson to resign. "Dr. Bulson knew the many security shortfalls at Joppatowne High School and did nothing until a student was murdered within our walls," Board Vice President Melissa Hahn said. Since the deadly shooting, several changes have been made to school security at the local and national levels. Harford County schools ramped up security measures with increased funding, advanced weapon detection systems and bag size restrictions. The school shooting in Maryland and others across the nation at the time prompted the Biden administration to implement several gun violence reduction strategies and improve school shooter drills.
