BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A judge has scheduled the trial for Damien McDaniel, accused of murdering 18 people during 2023 and 2024, including victims from two separate mass shootings. The trial is set to commence in April next year, amid concerns from McDaniel’s defense team about the potential challenge of selecting unbiased jurors due to Birmingham’s high record of violence during that period.
At 22 years old, McDaniel faces multiple murder charges in connection to 18 deaths within Birmingham, Alabama. Among these cases are the killings of eight victims across two mass shootings in July and September. Jefferson County District Judge Shanta Owens has further authorized the pursuit of the death penalty against McDaniel, following the guidelines of Alabama state law.
Birmingham experienced a significant increase in violent crimes in 2024, recording 151 homicides throughout the year. Authorities have implicated McDaniel alongside another individual in contributing to over 30% of these homicides, depicting him as a primary figure responsible for the surge in violence affecting countless residents.
“In many of these incidents, it is often a few notorious individuals who contribute to Birmingham’s notoriety for crime,” said Truman Fitzgerald, the public information officer of Birmingham, during a November statement.
Despite these allegations, McDaniel claims innocence, a stance supported by his legal representatives who state that they have yet to receive substantive evidence against their client. John Robbins, one of the defense attorneys for McDaniel, expressed his concerns outside the courtroom, stating, “Our main challenge is finding a jury that isn’t already saturated with information about these events.”
Robbins further suggested the need to re-evaluate the possibility of holding a fair trial locally, as his team undertakes surveys of potential jurors within the county. While Judge Owens acknowledged these concerns, she cautioned that complete neutrality might be unattainable given the significance of the case to the Birmingham community.
“It would be unrealistic to expect jurors with absolutely no familiarity with the case, given its profound impact on the city,” Owens commented. She added that jurors with minor connections to victims might still serve, as long as they could remain unbiased and hadn’t formed deep relationships with those involved.
The courtroom was densely packed during the hearing, with many attendees donning shirts that bore the likeness and names of McDaniel’s alleged victims. Several individuals were visibly emotional following the proceedings.
Tensions flared before the hearing as McDaniel’s mother engaged in a verbal confrontation with a relative of one of the victims, leading court deputies to remove them from the room temporarily. McDaniel appeared in the courthouse garbed in a red and pink striped jumpsuit, with his wrists and ankles shackled.
Robbins confirmed post-hearing that McDaniel’s mother has been subjected to death threats. “The authorities are aware, but action is yet to be taken,” Robbins stated, expressing appreciation for the intervention in the courtroom conflict.
The trial will first address charges related to a mass shooting outside a nightclub, where four lives were lost. The pending legal proceedings stand as a crucial turning point amid the backdrop of a community still healing from unprecedented violence.