Trial for teen charged in shooting continued when witnesses don’t appear

By Linda Cicoira

      A 17-year-old Cape Charles resident was arraigned in Accomack Circuit Court Thursday on three felony charges in connection with the January shooting of another local teenager.

      Jalil Naheem Galloway entered pleas of not guilty to counts of malicious wounding, shooting at an occupied vehicle, and use of a firearm in a felony.  The trial was about to begin as Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan named off his witnesses. It was soon realized that two of the dozen subpoenaed witnesses failed to show up.

      Judge W. Revell Lewis III asked a deputy to check the building for the witnesses. When they were not found, he continued the case at Morgan’s request. The judge ordered capiases for the arrest of Bobby Dennis and Desiree Kellam, the two who were absent. A new trial date was not set. Morgan said Dennis was personally served and a relative of Kellam’s accepted her subpoena.

      Both Galloway and the female victim are seniors at Northampton High School. The defendant is being treated as an adult by the court. He is on house arrest and is taking classes through a virtual learning program. Galloway was denied a bond amendment in August that would have allowed him to return to school while awaiting trial.

     At that proceeding, the 17-year-old victim, who was shot in the chest, said she has been bullied at school by Galloway’s friends. “I mentally forgive him,” but “the trauma is still there,” she testified. She said she has been adversely affected socially, mentally, and physically.

     “Your honor we shouldn’t put on blinders and think that Mr. Galloway is going to just let this go by,” Morgan argued at the bond hearing. “At least not until this matter goes to trial … This request is just a little bit too much.”

      Defense lawyer Tom Northam argued that “All he wants to do is pursue his education in person and not in front of a computer.”

     “You are identified as the shooter,” Judge Lewis told the defendant. “I am not going to allow you to go back to high school under these circumstances. She is being bullied and harassed. You probably could have done something about it, but you didn’t,” the judge added.

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