A female juror in Maryland apologized to a teenage killer for convicting him of manslaughter, the Baltimore Sun claimed.
The case stems from a horrific incident last year that resulted in the death of 48-year-old Timothy Reynolds. On July 7, 2022, Reynolds pulled up to a Baltimore intersection where several young so-called squeegee washers were standing, ostensibly waiting to foist some kind of cleaning effort on helpless drivers and then demand payment in exchange. Reynolds drove through the intersection after the light turned green but later returned on foot, carrying a bat.
Reynolds engaged in some kind of interaction with the juveniles but walked away. As he did, three of the juveniles followed him, so he turned and swung the bat in their direction. One of the kids then threw a brick or piece of concrete, striking Reynolds in the head.
Suddenly, shots rang out, and Reynolds was hit in the neck, back, and face. He died from his injuries, though whether he died at the scene is unclear.
Investigators later identified 14-year-old Tavon Scott as the shooter based on eyewitness accounts and other evidence. A ballistics expert later testified at trial that the shots that killed Reynolds came from the gun found in a backpack recovered at the scene, and Scott’s DNA was reportedly found on the straps of the backpack.
Timothy Reynolds’ family reveals new images of deadly squeegee attackwww.youtube.com
Scott, now 16 and charged as an adult, did not testify at the trial, which began earlier this month. WBALTV also reported that Scott’s attorneys “did not put on a case.” However, in other statements to the jury, the defense team argued that Scott was not the shooter and that the shooter, whoever he or she was, acted in self-defense.
At one moment, the defense team also “hinted at racial undertones” in the prosecution of Scott, who is black. The implication was so strong that it elicited “a collective gasp from the gallery,” WBALTV said, and prosecutors swiftly objected to it.
“It’s science, plain and simple,” said Assistant Baltimore City State’s Attorney Cynthia Banks. “The defense is talking about profiling? No. It’s a DNA profile, period.”
Scott faced several felony counts, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and voluntary manslaughter. On Monday, the case was given to the jury. By Thursday, they had reached a verdict: not guilty of first- or second-degree murder, but guilty of manslaughter and two gun charges.
As jurors were filing out of the courtroom following the verdict, at least one juror reportedly indicated remorse for finding Scott guilty. “One juror, a woman, was in tears as she left the courtroom Thursday,” the Baltimore Sun reported. “She looked at the teen and mouthed, ‘I’m sorry.'” A screenshot of the report, which is behind a paywall, can be seen in the social media post below.
Since Scott was not found guilty of either of the murder charges, he could be sentenced as a juvenile. “[The jury] found that there was some justification for what he did,” defense attorney Warren Brown said. “It was just maybe he overreacted. He didn’t need to go that far. But they understood why he did what he did.”
Scott’s family issued a statement after the verdict: “This is clearly a heart-wrenching case on both sides and our condolences go out to the Reynolds family. There was tension and tears in the courtroom leading up to the verdict, but the family is thankful for the jury’s very-close review.”
Scott’s sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
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