Leonardtown, MD—In October of 2002, Reggie Barnhill of Lexington Park was 23 years old when he fired a gun and nearly killed a man by the last name of Stewart. Some of the other shots made by Barnhill with the handgun went into nearby houses, almost killing even more people, including a 10-year-old girl. Barnhill was arrested and subsequently charged with attempted first-degree murder and eight counts of reckless endangerment. In 2003, Barnhill was sentenced to 50 years in prison by Judge Karen H. Abrams.
In 2013, after serving 11 years in prison, Barnhill came forward in a post-conviction hearing and stated that he wanted a new trial, new sentencing hearing, and a new appeal. Barnhill claimed that the jurors at his 2003 trial were not properly educated on “reasonable doubt,” as Barnhill stated that he was innocent of the crimes. Barnhill also stated that the judge wrongfully sentenced him to a period much longer than the guidelines for the charges (which recommended between 20 and 35 years). Circuit Court Judge David W. Densford ruled that the conviction would stand, and that Judge Abrams had “valid reasons” for surpassing the guidelines.
Fast forward to Sept. 20, 2017, Barnhill came forward in front of Judge Abrams once again for a hearing reconsideration. Barnhill, now 38 years old, has served almost 15 years of his sentence. The defendant was joined by his new attorney, Robin Ficker, who detailed to Abrams the model citizen that Barnhill has become behind bars. Ficker showed Abrams several letters from the warden and other prison staff that highlight Barnhill’s positive behavior while in the facility, with Barnhill even saying to “call the jail” and talk to anyone that works there regarding his conduct. The letter from the Warden said that Barnhill is a youth mentor at the prison, a role that only 1 percent of all inmates are considered for.
The courtroom was filled with friends and family of Barnhill showing their support. Ficker asked if they could all stand for Judge Abrams to see, which all of them did—including a man in a wheelchair in the back row, who held onto the bench for support. The prosecutor argued that, while he is happy Barnhill is doing well, it does not change what Barnhill did in October of 2002, an incident that almost killed a child. Following this remark, one of Barnhill’s supporters jumped up and yelled, “Mr. Barnhill wasn’t even shooting!” The man was removed from the courtroom. The prosecutor then went on to say that Mr. Stewart, the victim of the shooting, has since passed away. More supporters of Barnhill shouted out that that wasn’t true, and that they had recently seen him. The prosecutor claimed that he thought he saw an obituary for Stewart, but was clearly mistaken.
Abrams reminisced about the 2003 trial, stating that she was a younger judge at the time. “[The trial] played out almost like a movie,” Abrams recalled. The trial lasted four days. Barnhill’s initial argument at the time was that he was innocent of the crime, an argument that Abrams admits she found “annoying,” so much so that she says she added on a couple of years to the sentencing out of sheer irritation. However, while she said she will usually get a letter or two from prison workers attesting to a defendant’s behavior, she doesn’t think she’s seen quite as many as Barnhill received. Abrams reduced the 50-year sentence to 30 years, which complies with the initial guidelines for the charges.