Man Who Fatally Shot Bystander at Dundalk Dice Game Sentenced to 15 Years After Pleading Guilty to Manslaughter

DUNDALK— A man who shot and killed a bystander during a 2024 dice game in Baltimore County was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Deandre Stokes, 29, originally was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Jamel Nation. His trial ended in a mistrial in February after jurors deliberated for about six hours without reaching a unanimous verdict.

On Tuesday, Stokes pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter and one count of illegal possession of a firearm.

Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge James Rhodes sentenced Stokes to 10 years in prison for manslaughter and 20 years for the firearm offense. Rhodes suspended all but five years of the firearm sentence, leaving Stokes with a total active sentence of 15 years.

At trial, Stokes testified that he did not intend to shoot Nation during the July 1, 2024, incident.

He said he was playing dice on the grounds of Colgate Elementary School in the 7700 block of Gough Street when he overheard Nation and others discussing plans to rob the group. Stokes testified he approached Nation and reached toward his waistband to determine whether he was armed.

Stokes, who was carrying a handgun himself, said Nation also had a gun. The two struggled, and Stokes' weapon discharged, striking Nation once in the back of the head.

Surveillance video showed a man apparently removing a handgun from the area around Nation's body before police arrived. Neither firearm was ever recovered.

Stokes testified that he had brought $1,500 in cash to the dice game and carried a gun because he knew such gatherings could become violent.

When he saw someone pull up their hood and put on a face mask, he became suspicious. He said he then heard a man standing with Nation say, "Yeah, we getting ready to take all that sh__."

"I knew what he was trying to do to us," Stokes testified. "He was trying to rob us."

Stokes said he drew his handgun from his waistband and pointed it toward the ground as he approached a man who had been standing with Nation.

Seconds later, surveillance video showed Stokes confronting Nation and grabbing him. The two struggled and fell to the ground together, and Stokes' gun discharged outside the view of the school's security cameras.