Man accused in Edgewood killing denied bail

An Edgewood man is being held without bail after allegedly attacking his pregnant girlfriend then choking to death her mother's boyfriend Friday morning.

The accused killer allegedly told Jamal Leon Jenkins "I'm going to [expletive] kill you" several times while his hands gripped Jenkins' throat, cutting off his air supply, according to a Harford County prosecutor.

Jenkins, 37, was murdered early Friday after a dispute in an Edgewood residence. Police have charged Gary Charles Clayton III, 25, with the killing.

Around 3:30 a.m. Friday, Harford County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a home in the 700 block of Stanford Court in Edgewood after a 911 caller reported an assault, according to Monica Worrell, public information officer with the sheriff's office.

When deputies arrived, they found Jenkins in distress. He was taken by ambulance from Joppa Magnolia Fire Company to Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, where he was pronounced dead at about 5 a.m., Worrell said.

"It was domestic in nature," Worrell said of the murder.

In their investigation, Worrell said, deputies determined there was an argument in the Jenkins' residence between Jenkins' fiancée's daughter and her boyfriend, identified as Clayton, of the 2400 block of Hanson Road in Edgewood.

As the couple's argument escalated into a fistfight, the victim, Jenkins, tried to get Clayton to leave, which led to an altercation between them. Clayton allegedly put the victim in a chokehold until Jenkins was unconscious, before fleeing the scene, Worrell reported. Clayton was arrested about 4 a.m.

Clayton is charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, manslaughter and reckless endangerment.

At Clayton's bail review hearing Tuesday in Harford County District Court, Assistant State's Attorney Alison Carver told the judge additional charges are pending against him in connection with an alleged assault on correctional officers at the detention center once he was taken into custody on the murder charges.

"The pending case actually happened after these [murder] charges," Carver said.

Assistant Public Defender Brian Cunningham asked for a reduction in Clayton's bail, explaining he has a child on the way and $2 million, in light of his family's means, was equivalent to no bail. Clayton's mother later confirmed the child is that of the girlfriend who was involved in the deadly conflict Friday.

Cunningham recognized the severity of the charges but added the case warrants a bail.

Carver went on to argue that Clayton is a serious threat to the community, recounting the allegations against him.

She said Clayton allegedly threatened repeatedly to kill Jenkins while he had his hands around the other man's neck saying over and over, "I'm going to [expletive] kill you."

"He choked him to death," Carver said.

Carver argued the murder and assault allegations from that night paired with his alleged behavior in detention later that day paint a grim picture.

"Frankly, I think Mr. Clayton has significant anger issues and poses a significant danger to the community," Carver said.

She added Clayton has been arrested 10 times with five convictions.

Lorraine Keeling, Clayton's mother who spoke at the hearing, said her son is on probation for selling drugs, something he has not done since he has lived with her on Hanson Road.

"I will make sure that he stays away from the family," Keeling said.

Holding back tears, she characterized the events of Friday morning as a terrible set of circumstances.

Harford County District Court Judge Mimi Cooper took the information into account and ordered Clayton be held without bail and have no contact with his girlfriend or her family.