BALTIMORE — A man facing murder charges was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Thursday after he strangled his cellmate to death in a Baltimore detention facility. This incident raised important questions regarding the management of the city’s jail system and the mounting backlog in its judicial proceedings.
Staron, aged 35, had been detained after allegedly committing a random stabbing attack when he was placed in a cell with Javarick Gantt, a 34-year-old man who was deaf and charged with relatively minor offenses. Gantt’s death in October 2022 highlighted major concerns about the conditions and administrative decisions within the detention center, but officials have been reluctant to address inquiries regarding why these two individuals were housed together.
Following a conviction for the earlier stabbing, which prosecutors labeled an “axe murder,” Staron confessed to killing Gantt. According to prosecutors, he had armed himself with an axe and traveled from the suburbs into Baltimore to attack 63-year-old Keith Bell at a bus stop. Bell was homeless and owned little more than a bag of gummy bears at the time of the attack.
During the sentencing proceedings, Staron’s attorney painted a picture of a man grappling with severe mental health challenges and a troubled history of substance abuse. This history includes various significant head injuries and psychiatric issues beginning in childhood.
“I truly believe this man has serious mental health issues,” defense lawyer Jason Silverstein stated, arguing that there are underlying factors contributing to Staron’s actions that are difficult to comprehend. He characterized Staron as someone with a fragile grasp on reality, asserting that he is “not some monster.” Silverstein also mentioned that Staron was previously assaulted by fellow inmates shortly before Gantt’s murder, which left him in a vulnerable mental state as his treatment regimen was altered frequently.
In his argument for a sentence with the possibility of parole, Silverstein conveyed that a life sentence without hope of release is not a just resolution for any case. “I don’t believe incarcerating people with no hope of getting out is ever the proper outcome,” he remarked.
Contrasting Silverstein’s viewpoint, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea Handy commented on the nature of the crime, indicating that the evidence reflects a “picture of brutality.” She expressed that while she had received touching letters from Staron’s family and friends, they did not align with the troubling behavior exhibited in court.
Before imposing the life sentence, the judge extended sympathy to the victims’ families, emphasizing, “there’s nothing the court can say or do today that is going to bring you any comfort.” Gantt’s father, Rick Barry Sr., shared a heartfelt statement regarding the family’s difficulty in coming to terms with their loss and the unanswered questions they face. “The system has failed my son,” he lamented.
One pressing concern for Gantt’s family is why a disabled man with little ability to communicate ended up in a cell with a presumed murderer, a point articulated by attorney Andrew Slutkin.
Asserting the danger posed by Staron, prosecutors advocated for a life sentence without the possibility of parole, referring to his inconsistent accounts of the crimes and psychological evaluations that questioned his honesty.
After the judge announced the sentence, Staron was escorted out of the courtroom past his family, who remained silently present in support. Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates indicated that his office is reviewing other cases potentially linked to Staron and expressed hope that this sentence would provide some closure to the grieving families affected by his actions. “This young man will never, ever see the light of day again or harm anyone outside the prison walls,” Bates concluded.
