A Baltimore man accused of opening fire during a cookout argument has rejected a plea deal, setting the case on a path toward an October jury trial. The case stems from a March 30 shooting on Oakford Avenue that left a man with multiple gunshot wounds. Prosecutors offered decades behind bars, but Brandon Therron Spencer chose to fight the charges in court.
Spencer, 49, appeared Tuesday before Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Melissa Copeland and declined the state’s offer, according to Baltimore Witness. The proposed deal called for 60 years, with all but 30 years suspended on the attempted-murder charge, plus five years without parole for firearm use in a felony-violent crime. Defense attorney Michael Clinkscales also requested additional time to review discovery materials and gather evidence from prosecutors.
The shooting happened on the 3100 block of Oakford Avenue, where a 34-year-old man was shot and initially listed in critical condition, according to WMAR-2 News. Police were alerted after witnesses reported gunfire, and investigators found cartridge casings and blood residue at the scene.
Cookout Argument Allegedly Escalated Into Gunfire
Charging allegations detailed by Baltimore Witness say an argument broke out during a cookout involving a man who matched Spencer’s description. When the victim tried to intervene, Spencer allegedly retrieved a firearm and began shooting, striking the victim in the jaw, legs and lower back before the victim was located at Sinai Hospital.
Spencer faces attempted first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony-violent crime, handgun possession, illegal possession of ammunition and discharging a firearm within city limits. Investigators also allege that surveillance video captured a second shooter firing several rounds before fleeing; that person was identified as Spencer’s son, Therron Antonio Spencer, who is charged as a co-defendant.
An earlier Oakford shooting report described the case as an active investigation, with police seeking information while the victim remained hospitalized. The court proceedings have since added allegations involving surveillance footage, witness accounts and physical evidence, while records show Spencer has prior convictions for first-degree assault and handgun use in a crime dating to 2002.
Trial Date Set For October
Spencer’s decision to reject the offer is not a finding of guilt or innocence; it leaves the charges to be resolved through further court proceedings unless the parties reach another agreement. A jury trial is scheduled for October 19 before Judge Robert Taylor Jr. and is expected to last four days, with the case’s Hicks speedy-trial deadline set for November 29.
