Terrence Vernard Packer
La Plata, MD – It was a trial that dominated the Charles County Courthouse for most of the first week of February.
The trial was contentious, with the state and public defender often in loud debate throughout the five-day proceedings.
At one point Charles County Circuit Court Judge Amy J. Bragunier banned cell phones from court when it was discovered the victim in the case was receiving text messages from within the courtroom during the week-long trial.
The deal went down Tuesday, April 5, when Bragunier sentenced Terrence Vernard Packer, 37 of Waldorf, to 30 years in the Maryland Department of Corrections for his actions the night of Feb. 24, 2015 into the wee hours of Feb. 25, on four counts for charges including second-degree assault on his former girlfriend and three counts of first-degree assault after he pointed a shotgun at Charles County deputies and was shot.
Dramatic testimony filled the courtroom throughout the afternoon as supporters of Packer and the victim, Shauna Harris, spoke for and against leniency in sentencing.
Harris told the court that Packer “assaulted me multiple times.
“He strangled me until I was unconscious,” she said, “and then he went from one gun to another.
“It’s been over a year now and I can’t sleep most nights without nightmares,” she said.
Harris said the night of the incident, after being choked until she passed out, she remembered “walking toward a light” when the sound of gunshots startled her awake.
The sharp retorts were the sounds of Charles County deputies shooting Packer after he “bumped out” of the front door and raised his weapon at deputies responding to the scene of domestic violence.
Harris told Packer she forgave him.
“He made choices that night that changed a lot of people’s lives,” she said.
Charles County Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah K. Freeman stressed that officers tried in vain to negotiate with the defendant.
Charles County Deputy Charles Garner said it was the first time he’d been in a situation that affected him to such an extent that he called his wife afterward to tell her he was safe.
“I went through something I’d never gone through before,” as a result of the incident, Garner testified.
Co-prosecutor John Stackhouse said the victim in the case never wavered in her text messages, back and forth, her comments to police and testimony in court were always the same.
“She never wavered from that,” he said. “That’s because it’s the truth.
“In respect to the officers, the last thing a police officer wants to do is shoot somebody,” Stackhouse said. “Every single officer is going to carry that with him.”
The courthouse was filled with Charles County officers, including Sheriff Troy Berry who testified at the hearing.
“We all do a very dangerous job in law enforcement,” Berry said. “One person is responsible for what happened that night, when he assaulted his now estranged girlfriend and armed himself against police officers. That’s him and him alone. Once officers discharged their weapons they went into life-saving mode. They actually saved his life.
“To anyone who arms themselves against police officers, this court needs to make a statement this afternoon,” Berry said.
Many people spoke for more than two hours in support of Packer, who they called an outstanding person and like a brother.
“My son is not the monster he is being made out to be,” his mother said.
Charles County Public Defender Michele Harewood pleaded with Bragunier for leniency, weeping as she read letters from the defendant’s son asking that his father be given a second chance.
In the end, their pleas only went so far with the judge, as Packer was sentenced to four consecutive sentences of seven-and-a-half years for the one charge of second-degree assault against the victim, which was merged with a slew of other charges, and three counts of first-degree assault against the police officers.
He was given credit for the 406 days he has been incarcerated since his arrest.
Charles County State’s Attorney Tony Covington said that the two-plus hours of testimony, some of which went on for long periods of the afternoon from friends and relatives of the defendant, may not have had the reaction the public defender was hoping for.
The judge was very patient, and allowed everyone to have their say, despite Stackhouse’s objection after one testimony went on and on.
“She [Harewood] has a job to do and she does it very well,” Covington said. “From my point of view, there comes a point of diminishing returns.”
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com
