Co-Defendants in Mass Shooting Case Reject Plea Offer

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More than one year after a mass shooting that killed 22-year-old Edward Wade and wounded three others, the alleged perpetrators rejected a plea deal from the prosecution.

Terrance Oxner and Aaron Adgerson are charged in connection with the shooting, which occurred at a market in Fairlawn on Jan. 25, 2021.

Both defendants rejected a plea offer that has been open for a little more than a month. The deal would have required both defendants to plead guilty to lesser charges of second-degree murder while armed and conspiracy to murder. As of Dec. 13, Adgerson, 18, was leaning towards rejecting the plea and Oxner, 22, had yet to make a formal decision. Both defendants had to accept the plea in order for it to go through.

Oxner’s defense attorney, Madalyn Harvey, said she had hoped to negotiate further with the prosecutor and was open to a pretrial resolution to the case. She said they refused, so she is looking ahead to the trial.

Adgerson’s defense attorney, Michael Madden, then made an oral request for Adgerson’s release from the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. The prosecutor is only accusing Adgerson of being a lookout while Oxner committed the murder, which Madden said is not a substantial enough reason to hold him.

Agerson is also charged with escape for allegedly attempting to leave the Psychiatric Institute of Washington in Northwest, DC, following his arrest. Madden said this escape was a mistake Adgerson made due to him still being under the effects of narcotics he was taking pre-arrest. He did not want this issue to affect the possibility of Adgerson being released to stay with his mother. Madden says he is in regular contact with Agerson’s mother and she is heavily involved in his case.

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun briefly asked the prosecutor if they plan to oppose this and they promptly said they do. He immediately denied the oral motion but said Madden can file a written one with more information if he wishes and it can be reviewed at a later date.

This case already is set to go to trial in November 2022 but there has yet to be an indictment. This has to be done before the trial commences, so parties set another hearing for April 22 to decide all motion and indictment dates.