Teen found guilty of killing classmate at Maryland high school sentenced to 80 years in prison

Jaylen Prince, a teenager who was found guilty of shooting and killing a classmate inside a Maryland high school in 2024, was sentenced on Tuesday in a Harford County courtroom.

Prince was sentenced to life in prison with all but 75 years suspended for the murder of 15-year-old Warren Grant inside a Joppatowne High School bathroom. He was also handed a 20-year sentence, with all by five years suspended for a handgun violation. 

Prince will serve 80 years in prison, but he will be eligible for parole after serving roughly 40 years. According to Maryland's Juvenile Restoration Act, a minor can't be imposed a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Prince, 17, was convicted of first-degree murder for the shooting death of Grant on September 6, 2024. In May, jurors found Prince guilty following approximately three hours of deliberations.

"The actions of one student resulted in the death of another, and in doing so, altered the course of two young lives and impacted an entire community," said Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler. "This case underscores the serious consequences of violence within our schools. When such incidents occur, they not only affect the individuals directly involved but also disrupt the sense of safety and stability that schools are meant to provide."

Prosecution digs into Prince's violent past

During the sentencing hearing State's Attorney Alison M. Healey recapped the case, explaining how Prince brought a loaded gun to school and followed Grant into the bathroom, threatening to shoot him at least four times before finally pulling the trigger.

Healey also touched on Prince's violent and aggressive history, naming numerous incidents he was involved in before the case. She highlighted the incidents he's been involved with after the shooting while detained at the Hickey School.

Healey named nearly 15 incidents, including assault, fights, threats, and aggression to teachers and other students at the school, arguing that Prince is not someone who can be rehabilitated.

"He is continuing his pattern of violence," Healey said. "He's a threat to public safety, exactly what I said in there, right? That he has this long-standing history of violence that we've seen in the school system, and then when we got the records and saw that he is continuing this pattern of violence, all the way up to the trial, after the trial, just that it wasn't stopping."

Attorney says Prince is remorseful

The defense argued that Prince is extremely remorseful for the deadly shooting, reading letters from former coaches, tutors, employers, and family members about how Prince is an eager and intelligent young man with a lot of potential for treatment.

Prince even read a letter in court that he wrote to his future self, explaining how he's turned his life around to do good and not make the same mistakes.

Attorney Stacey Pipkin highlighted the programs Prince has completed since attending the Hickey School, including an electrician program and an anger management program. He also recently graduated with his GED.

But the judge argued that because of Prince's actions, Grant will never have the chance to graduate high school or live out the rest of his life, which is how he landed on his decision.

The trial

Police said Prince pulled out a gun from his backpack and shot Grant during a fight inside the bathroom at Joppatowne High School.

Prince didn't show much emotion as the verdict was read. However, several members of the gallery were tearful, and so were members of the jury.

His trial lasted eight days with testimony from classmates, law enforcement, and Prince's mother. Prince took the stand in his defense on May 28.

Prince told the jury that he did not intend to kill Grant, which was the argument from the defense.

Prince testifies in his defense

Prince testified that Grant was the aggressor. He 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. 

Prosecutors say Prince was the aggressor

The state's attorney argued that the video shared by a witness showed Prince to be the aggressor and threatened to kill Grant four times. 

Witnesses testified that they saw Prince grab the gun from his backpack, cock the weapon, and shoot Grant before running away and getting rid of the gun, which was never found.

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.   

An expert testified that Prince's phone contained several photos of the gun, which matched the bullets recovered from Grant's body.