Latest news with #WarrenCurtisGrant
CBS News
21-05-2025
- CBS News
Trial of teen accused of killing classmate at Joppatowne High gets underway with testimony
Testimony started on Wednesday in the case against a 16-year-old accused of shooting and killing a classmate inside a Joppatowne High School restroom in September 2024. Jaylen Prince is being tried as an adult on charges of murder and assault. He is on trial for the murder of 15-year-old Warren Curtis Grant near the start of the school year. Those in the courtroom included students and family members who identified themselves as Grant's friends and family. Teen shot during school day Police said the Prince allegedly pulled a gun out of his backpack and shot Grant during a fight inside the men's bathroom of Joppatowne High School. Prince then took off from the school and was taken into custody in a nearby neighborhood after being reported by residents. Grant died from his injuries. 12-member jury seated A jury of eight women and four men was seated on Wednesday. More than 150 potential jurors reported over the two days of questioning. The jurors were asked if they were familiar with the case and whether they had strong feelings on crimes involving juveniles. Another four -- two men and two women -- were named as alternates. Classmates testify as witnesses Students and witnesses testified on Wednesday. One of those students captured the shooting on video, which was played for the jury. A close friend of Prince and Grant testified that the shooting may have stemmed from an argument about a girl. Magness Douala testified he spent much of the day with Prince, including most of lunch. He told the jury he saw Prince flirting with a classmate, who was Grant's girlfriend. Douala testified that he told Prince that Grant said to stay away from his girl, to which Prince replied, "Nobody wants her," but seemed agitated. The witness said he and Prince entered the restroom, and Grant and some other friends were there, as well. Julian Mueller testified that he was inside the bathroom when the incident happened. He told the jury that Grant instructed him to take a video when he and Prince started arguing… In the video, you hear Prince repeatedly say, "I am going to kill you," before reaching into his backpack and firing a gun. You hear that fatal shot, and see Grant fall into the corner. Opening statements focus on intent In opening statements, Harford County State's Attorney Alison Healey told the jury that Grant went to school that day with the intent to kill. She said the weapon was never recovered, but shell casings found at the scene match bullets found under Prince's mattress during a search of his home. Healey also said photos on his phone dating back to roughly two weeks before Grant was killed show Prince with photos of a gun that uses the type of bullets found under his mattress. Defense attorney Staci Pipkin says the picture Healey described is only one side of the story. She said Prince is a child and not a murderer. Pipkin says Prince was much smaller than the rest of the boys in the bathroom and used the gun to scare them off, but didn't mean to kill Grant. She says the entire case will come down to intent. A push for security improvements The shooting prompted community members to demand better safety measures at Joppatowne High School. Students and residents started an online petition calling for security improvements. They were pleading for school leaders to install metal detectors and require clear backpacks at all Harford County Public Schools. Harford County leaders and the county school board announced a plan to allocate funding for security improvements at Harford County schools, including advanced weapon detection systems and other electronic upgrades, and more School Resource Officers (SROs).
CBS News
20-05-2025
- CBS News
Jury selection begins for trial of Joppatowne High School shooting suspect
Jury selection began Tuesday in the trial of a 16-year-old student charged with fatally shooting a classmate at Joppatowne High School. The teen is being charged as an adult for the killing of 15-year-old Warren Curtis Grant. He was previously denied bail, with prosecutors arguing he remains a danger to the community. The shooting happened on September 6, 2024, just after 12:30 p.m. Joppatowne High student shot and killed Witnesses said two students were fighting inside the men's bathroom at Joppatowne High School when the 16-year-old allegedly grabbed a gun from his backpack - before shooting Grant, who died from his injuries. After the shooting, the suspect fled the school but was arrested in a nearby neighborhood after residents reported a suspicious person, according to police. The teen faces charges of first- and second-degree murder, assault, use of a firearm in a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm as a minor. Classes at the school were canceled on Sep. 20 to allow students and staff to attend Grant's funeral. Community reacts to fatal shooting, demands security changes After the shooting, community members, along with members of the Harford County Board of Education, called for the resignation of the Harford County Public Schools superintendent and other board members. An online petition demanding security improvements also surfaced after the incident. The petition called for school leaders to install metal detectors and require clear backpacks at all HCPS schools. A parent told WJZ that children signed the petition, "pleading for safety and to feel safe again." In Dec. 2024, the Harford County Government and the Harford County Board of Education announced a plan to allocate funding for security improvements at Harford County schools, including advanced weapon detection systems and other electronic upgrades, and more School Resource Officers (SROs). At Joppatowne High, students were temporarily prohibited from bringing backpacks and bookbags to school.
