A 36-year-old man accused of shooting another man during an attempted robbery in downtown Baltimore is now representing himself at trial, after rejecting a plea offer that would have suspended all but 35 years of a life sentence. Guy Thomas dismissed his defense attorney and opted for a bench trial rather than face a jury, a decision that traces back to the Sept. 1, 2025 shooting on the unit block of North Howard Street.
According to Baltimore Witness, prosecutors had offered Thomas a plea agreement of life imprisonment with all but 35 years suspended, along with five years of supervised probation, on charges of attempted first-degree murder and firearm offenses. Thomas rejected that deal and instead faces attempted first- and second-degree murder, assault, and four weapons charges at trial. Court records cited by the outlet indicate the confrontation escalated after the victim told the suspects to “chill,” prompting Thomas to point a handgun, which led both men to draw weapons and fire at each other.
Both men were struck in their lower extremities during the exchange, the outlet reported. A prosecutor said the victim was shot in his left leg, while Thomas was shot on top of his left foot. A Baltimore City police sergeant testified that he was a patrol officer during the Sept. 1, 2025 shooting and was called to the unit block of North Howard Street, where he found two blood trails outside Howard Discount Liquors — one leading to the victim, who was found around the corner on Howard Street, and a second leading in another direction. The sergeant rendered aid to the victim and said a bystander told him, “they started shooting,” with people saying they heard gunshots and that the defendant went a certain way.
Evidence and the Path to Arrest
Police recovered suspected blood, shell casings, and a cell phone from the scene, the report states. A police crime lab technician testified that three swabs of suspected blood were taken, and photos of that suspected blood were admitted into evidence during the technician's testimony.
Investigators did not catch up with Thomas until nearly a month later. Per the same account, law enforcement officers arrested him on Sept. 30, 2025, when he arrived for a scheduled meeting at the Baltimore City Parole and Probation Office, where a search warrant had already been issued. Investigators there observed a gunshot wound on his left foot that matched surveillance footage of the suspect from the shooting scene.
The Baltimore Police Department announced on Oct. 14, 2025, that both Thomas and 24-year-old Robert Perkins were charged in connection with the shooting, identifying Thomas as a repeat violent offender. The department's announcement also noted that, a month before Thomas's shooting, a 45-year-old man had been charged in a separate Aug. 1, 2025 shooting just one block away, in the 100 block of North Howard Street.
Why Thomas Chose to Go It Alone
Thomas's decision to represent himself followed a series of delays in his case. Defense counsel Andre Mahasa's sudden illness marked the second postponement request, following an earlier delay granted when the assigned prosecutor was tied up in a separate trial, the outlet reported. Rather than accept another continuance, Thomas chose to dismiss Mahasa and is now representing himself, telling the court that he has no ties to the location where the shooting occurred.
Under Maryland Rule of Procedure 4-214, criminal defendants have a constitutional right to waive legal representation and proceed pro se, so long as the trial judge confirms the waiver is knowing, intelligent, and voluntary, according to Westlaw's Maryland Code and Court Rules. Pro se defendants like Thomas are held to the same legal and evidentiary standards as licensed attorneys.
Thomas also opted for a bench trial rather than a jury trial. Official Maryland Courts guidance advises trial participants to wear clean business-casual attire, noting that improper clothing can disrupt courtroom decorum or create negative impressions with jurors. Thomas was unable to obtain dress clothes for his anticipated jury trial, a practical hurdle that detained defendants often face without outside help securing civilian clothing to avoid the bias associated with appearing in a prison uniform before a jury. Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones is now presiding over Thomas's bench trial, with testimony expected to resume Thursday afternoon.
Part of a Broader Drop in Baltimore Shootings
The case unfolds against the backdrop of a multi-year decline in violent crime across Baltimore. The Mayor's Office of Baltimore City reported that the city recorded 187 non-fatal shootings and 60 homicides through early August 2026, continuing a downward trend after 2025 closed with 133 homicides — the city's lowest annual murder total in nearly 50 years. City officials have attributed the drops to targeted group-violence reduction strategies.
Investigators are also closing more of these cases. The Baltimore Police Department reported a 54% clearance rate for non-fatal shootings during the first half of 2026, a 12-percentage-point increase over the same period in 2025. It remains unclear what has become of co-defendant Robert Perkins's case or how Thomas's self-representation will play out as testimony continues before Judge Jones.
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