June 09, 2004|By Matt Whittaker | Matt Whittaker,SUN STAFF
Twin 16-year-old brothers accused of fatally shooting a pregnant woman who refused their sexual advances will be tried as adults, a Baltimore Circuit Court judge decided yesterday.
Judge John M. Glynn denied separate defense motions to transfer jurisdiction from the adult system to the juvenile justice system for Brian Antonio Wilson and Paul Anthony Wilson, of the 5600 block of Govane Ave. in Govans, because of the nature of the killing and what he said was the lack of evidence that the two would be responsive to rehabilitation in the juvenile system.
"This is not even a close case," Glynn said in denying the request of Brian Wilson, who is accused of pulling the trigger in the killing of 20-year-old Quwanda Thornton. "This is a cold-blooded murder."
He is accused of shooting Thornton -- who was four weeks' pregnant -- once in the chest at a bus stop Nov. 26 after the brothers made advances toward her.
Brian Wilson told homicide investigators that the boys were trying to get Thornton's phone number as she stood at the bus stop in the 5600 block of York Road near Benninghaus Road, and that when she refused and swore at them he became "a little angry," according to court documents. He also told investigators that he pulled out a .38 caliber revolver, and "she reached for it, and it went off."
The Wilson twins are charged as adults with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, assault, reckless endangerment and various handgun violations. If convicted on the murder charge, they could face a life sentence. A trial is scheduled Aug. 5.
Both had been arrested several times before the shooting, including four times together between September 2000 and last July on charges including burglary and drug violations.
Lawyers separately representing the twins argued that their clients would be receptive to rehabilitation in the juvenile system.
Assistant public defender David Pyle, the lawyer for Paul Wilson, contended that the twins were acting out of "raging hormones" and a "horrible" event resulted.
City Assistant State's Attorney Janet S. Hankin, the prosecutor at both hearings, said that there are opportunities in the adult system for someone to "mend himself" as well as rehabilitation programs.
Because of a prior brush with the law, Brian Wilson had been placed on home arrest by a juvenile system judge, placing the teenager under Department of Juvenile Services authority and requiring him to wear an electronic anklet so that his movements could be monitored.
But in early October, prosecutors and juvenile services officials say, he removed the anklet, and a writ -- similar to a warrant -- was issued for his arrest. When he did not show up for a juvenile court appearance, the city Sheriff's Office was notified.
"If the juvenile court had detained [Brian Wilson] at the detention hearing in early October as recommended by our juvenile prosecutors, the facts as we know them today might be different. Perhaps [Thornton] would still be alive," said Margaret T. Burns, a spokeswoman for the state's attorney office. The detention hearing preceded him removing the anklet.
LaWanda Edwards, a juvenile services spokeswoman, said the department acted appropriately by filing for the writ to have Brian Wilson arrested. Once the authorities were alerted, it was out of juvenile services' hands, she said.
"It's a very tragic situation," Edwards said. "We did everything that we were supposed to do. Looking at their history with us, there was nothing to indicate that they would do something like that. There were no violent offenses."
