In June, Charles Brockington encountered a problem familiar to many people in Baltimore City ? someone breaking into his car.
So Brockington picked up his gun, walked outside and shot the thief.
For that act, Brockington, 48, pleaded guilty Monday to voluntary manslaughter and handgun charges in Baltimore City Circuit Court. He will be sentenced to five years in prison, prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed.
“Mr. Brockington was faced with a situation that many people in Baltimore face: A crime right in their presence,” said Tony Garcia, Brockington?s attorney, who added his client fired the gun “accidentally.”
“Because of his background, he had to take some type of plea deal, but he was really the victim in this case.”
Brockington is a convicted felon.
Baltimore City State?s Attorney?s Office spokesman Margaret Burns called the plea deal “wise and fair.”
Last Thursday, Circuit Judge Brooke Murdock released Brockington, of the 400 block of Cedardale Road, to home detention pending trial after Garcia argued that his client had helped federal prosecutors in an investigation that led to the conviction of “12 murderers.”
At 5:21 a.m. June 29, Brockington heard a disturbance outside his home and walked outside in his underwear to find the tire rims missing from his Mercedes-Benz, court documents state.
He grabbed his gun and confronted the alleged thief and demanded he return the rims.
The suspect pretended to get the rims from his car, but then attempted to drive away, Brockington told police.
Brockington then fired one shot, striking suspect Joseph Johnson, who later died, police said.
Brockington has been convicted of armed robbery in 1979, assault in 1980 and 1994 and drug possession in 1997.
It is illegal for a felon to possess a handgun in Maryland.
