Leonardtown, MD – The jury trial of a Lexington Park man accused of shooting and seriously wounding a Prince George’s County man during a dispute in November 2017 got underway in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court Tuesday, Feb. 19. James Reginald Flanagan’s trial is being presided over by visiting Judge M. Brooke Murdock.

In her opening statement, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling said the incident stemmed from an ongoing dispute between Flanagan and a rival rap artist. The individual who was shot was an innocent bystander who did not know Flanagan. The incident occurred Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017 on Leeward Circle in Lexington Park.
Defense attorney Joshua Tarr told the jury they would be hearing “inconsistent testimony” during the trial and there would be no DNA evidence presented to link Flanagan to the crime. The incident, said Tarr, gave his client’s rival an opportunity to “point the finger at someone he had a dispute with.” Tarr added that Flanagan “was nowhere near the incident.”

During his testimony, Cpl. Scott Ruest of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office stated he interviewed the victim several days after the incident. The victim was at first not believed to have been seriously injured but was later taken to a hospital and underwent life-saving emergency surgery. He was shot twice during the incident. After showing the victim and other witnesses an array of mugshots, Flanagan was identified as the suspect and a warrant for his arrest was filed. The defendant was located in Prince George’s County in May of 2018.

Evidence shown to the court during Ruest’s testimony included articles of clothing the victim was wearing when he was shot. Additionally, the jury was shown a video provided by the deputies who initially investigated the incident. The video included interviews with witnesses of the incident.

Late last year, Flanagan was indicted on one count each of attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, firearm use in a felony crime and handgun on person.

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com