Baltimore— In a bench trial, Thomas Bradley, 64, was found guilty of use of a handgun in commission of a crime of violence; two counts of assault in the second degree; two counts of reckless endangerment; wearing, carrying, or transporting a handgun; being a prohibited person in possession of a regulated firearm; and discharging a firearm in the city.
On September 10, 2016, officers responded to the 900 block of North Ashburton Street for a report of a shooting. One of the victims—a teenager—was holding a shirt covered in blood against his face. The second victim—the teenager’s mother—told first responders that her son was shot in the face by Bradley. Police walked into the teenager’s grandmother’s home, and saw a trail of blood from the front entry door to the kitchen.
An investigation revealed that the victims went to the teenager’s grandmother’s neighborhood because Bradley and the grandmother were in a verbal altercation earlier in the day, and the grandmother was very distressed because they had been neighbors for 25 years. When the victims arrived to the neighborhood, neighbors informed them that Bradley was doing handy-man work two doors down from the grandmother’s house. The victims walked to the location where Bradley was working to speak with him about how he spoke to the grandmother and to tell him to stay away from their family member.
Neither one of the victims threatened the defendant with any weapons nor did they have any weapons with them.
Bradley became upset, pulled out a handgun and fired the gun twice. One of the bullets hit the teenager in the mouth. The teenager then fled the house and went to his grandmother’s house, where aid was rendered as they waited for the ambulance.
The teenage victim was taken to the hospital, where he remained in critical condition for more than a month.
The victim could not speak for more than six weeks after his mouth was wired shut as a result of the surgical procedure where surgeons were unable to remove the bullet. To this day, the bullet has not been removed because of the risk of possible severe brain damage.
“Countless lives are being lost or destroyed on the streets of Baltimore for trivial disputes that are leading to unprecedented violence, and those that commit these acts will be held accountable,” said State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
The State sought 30 years of incarceration. Bradley was sentenced to 40 years, suspend all but 15 years, with the first five years served without the possibility of parole.
