Teenager acquitted in 2023 Baltimore mass shooting that killed 16-year-old Edmondson-Westside student
Nineteen-year-old Daaon Spears hugged his defense attorney after jurors read the verdict acquitting him on more than two dozen counts including murder, attempted murder and gun charges stemming from a mass shooting in January 2023 at the Edmondson Village Shopping Center.
The violence claimed the life of 16-year-old Deanta Dorsey, a student at Edmondson-Westside High School across the street.
His aunt told WJZ exclusively she was "numb" after the verdict but thanked prosecutors for their work on the case.
Second trial
The February trial lasted two weeks with more than 20 witnesses. It was the second trial for Spears, after a hung jury in the case in October 2024.
Spears' attorney Brandon Taylor argued the police investigation was not thorough, and he claimed officers made the arrest acting on a tip while under public pressure to solve the high-profile mass shooting.
"I'll just say this one thing: What happened on January 4, 2023, was a tragedy. There have been a lot of families out here looking for justice for a long time, but convicting an innocent kid with evidence that's not proof beyond a reasonable doubt would just be another tragedy," Taylor told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren after the verdict.
Prosecutors relied extensively on video evidence - cameras they said tracked Spears before, during and after the shooting.
But those cameras did not clearly show the suspects' facial features. Taylor argued the evidence was largely circumstantial and repeatedly raised claims of reasonable doubt in his closing argument.
"They're pointing their finger in the wrong direction," he told jurors.
Spears was 16 at the time of the shooting.
In their more than five hours of deliberations, the Baltimore City jury asked to see more surveillance video not in evidence, and jurors asked to look at the shoes and pants detectives recovered from Spears' home to see if they matched the video.
Several of Spears' loved ones cheered as they left the Elijah Cummings Courthouse downtown following the verdict.
Spears' father declined comment.
Jurors were escorted from the courthouse separately and did not comment.
State's attorney reacts
Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates called the verdict "a painful moment for everyone impacted by this tragedy."
He praised the work of law enforcement and his prosecution team led by Assistant State's Attorney Rita Wisthoff-Ito.
"They pursued justice thoughtfully and responsibly under extraordinarily difficult circumstances," Bates wrote.
He also spoke about Dorsey's family.
"Most importantly, our hearts remain with the victim's family, whose grief and pain continue long after the courtroom proceedings end," Bates said. "No verdict can undo their loss, and we extend our deepest condolences and continued support to them and to all those affected."
Victim's family heartbroken
Dorsey's aunt thanked the prosecution team but was too shaken to speak on camera.
She told Hellgren she does not want her nephew's memory to be forgotten. You can read Deanta Dorsey's obituary here.
She recounted Dorsey's bright smile and said she wants people to know "he was loved" by so many in the community.
"Jurors sometimes get it wrong, and this was an instance where we know so much more than the jury can learn inside a courtroom. We know that sometimes justice is denied," said Thiru Vignarajah, a lawyer representing the Dorsey family. "This was a mass shooting. A bunch of kids were shot, and one of them, a high schooler, was killed. Deanta deserves better than what happened in that courtroom."
What's next?
Prosecutors charged a second suspect in the case, 19-year-old Bryan Johnson.
He appeared in court Friday while the Spears' jury was deliberating because the prosecutor said she was concerned his mother was not being cooperative and would not show up to testify at his trial, which is set for July 9.
The mother did testify at Spears' trial.
Prosecutor Wisthoff-Ito asked that she be deposed now, but Judge Lynn Stewart Mays had the witness sign a subpoena promising her presence when the July trial gets underway.
Judge Mays warned Johnson's mother if she fails to come to court for the testimony in that trial, she will issue a bench warrant for her arrest.
"While today's outcome is difficult, our commitment to public safety, accountability, and supporting victims of violence remains steadfast," State's Attorney Bates said. "Our attention shifts to the case against Bryan Johnson and our continued pursuit of justice for Deanta and closure for his family."