To Daphne Brockington, her husband, Charles, is a hero who took a stand against crime ? and gunned down a thief stealing the rims off his Mercedes-Benz.
To Baltimore City prosecutors, he?s just another criminal.
“You are only allowed to use reasonable force,” said Baltimore City prosecutor Mark Cohen, the chief of the homicide unit. “You just can?t use deadly force to defend your property outside your house.”
On Monday, Baltimore City Circuit Judge Kaye Allison sentenced Charles Brockington, 48, to five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and handgun charges in the death of Joseph Johnson, 29.
“My husband was a victim of a crime,” a tearful Daphne Brockington said outside the courthouse, after her husband was led away in handcuffs. “I?m sorry for what happened to that family. But my husband paid for those tires, and there was no reason for that man to come and steal them.”
At 5:21 a.m. June 29, Brockington heard a disturbance outside his East Arlington home and walked outside to find the $1,500 tire rims missing from his Mercedes-Benz, according to court documents.
Brockington grabbed his gun, confronted Johnson 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 fired one shot that struck Johnson, police said.
Cohen said Brockington contends the shot went off by mistake ? and that he only wanted his tires back.
Johnson?s fiancee, Angela Brailford, said the killing was unnecessary.
“It?s no reason to take a life,” she said. “Even if he was doing wrong, it?s no reason to shoot someone.”
She said the couple?s 8-month-old daughter, Zoe Johnson, won?t know her father. “I don?t think it?s fair he only got five years,” Brailford said. “After five years, he?ll be out and with his family. My daughter won?t ever get to know her father.”
Brockington?s wife said she?s suffering too.
“I want to hug my husband,” she said. “I miss him. I want to have him home again.”
Brockington has been convicted of armed robbery in 1979, assault in 1980 and 1994 and drug possession in 1997.
