Aaron Speaks Convicted of Shooting Palsied Victim

A Baltimore City jury today convicted Aaron Speaks, 23, of the 2100 block of N. Guilford Ave of attempted first-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence after a two-day trial. From your intrepid SA's office:

Judge Thomas J.S. Waxter scheduled sentencing for September 16, 2008. Speaks faces a maximum possible prison term of life plus 20-years.

On August 6, 2007 at approximately 4:18PM the victim, who suffered from cerebral palsy, was walking in the 300 block of East 21st St. when Speaks crept up behind him and shot him one time at close range in the back of the neck. A CitiWatch pole camera captured Speaks feeling [sic] the scene. Witnesses testified that only one person approached the victim, only one shot was heard and only one person fled the scene. Another witness testified that shortly after the shooting the defendant admitted to shooting the victim. This shooting left the victim paralyzed from the neck down; he remains on a ventilator and is unable to speak without medical intervention. Assistant State’s Attorney Tonya LaPolla of the Firearms Investigation Violence Enforcement (F.I.V.E.) Division prosecuted this case.