‘You don’t see cases like this very often': Man accused of killing 11, shooting 29 appears in court

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The man indicted in one of the most violent cases in Birmingham in recent memory was arraigned Wednesday.

Damien McDaniel is indicted on 37 felony counts spanning five different shootings over the course of three months in 2024. Most notably, McDaniel is one of several defendants charged in the mass shooting in Five Points South and the mass shooting at Trendsetters Lounge. Specifically, he’s charged with killing 11 and shooting 29 people.

McDaniel’s attorney, John Robbins acknowledges the historic nature of this case.

“You don’t see cases like this very often,” Robbins admitted after court.

Wednesday was a procedural day in court, a prosecutor read McDaniel his indictments and he pleaded not guilty to two counts of capital murder of two or more people, capital murder-robbery, capital murder-burglary and murder. McDaniel waived arraignment on the other 32 counts.

Robbins says McDaniel’s mindset is that he’s not guilty, although Robbins is new to the case and hasn’t seen any of the evidence so far.

“Our job is to protect Damien,” Robbins added. “If you sit down and talk to him, he’s a gentle, kind person, well spoken…Damien doesn’t fit the mold of someone who would do these type of crimes, that’s all I’m saying.”

Given the nature of the case, security was tight. A K-9 cleared the courtroom before it was opened to the public and more than a dozen armed deputies lined the courtroom during the hearing. McDaniel appeared in court wearing a bullet proof vest.

“I wished we didn’t have that, it gives the impression that he’s a dangerous person,” Robbins stated. “He’s only been charged.”

Given the number of victims in this case, more than 40 people showed up for the hearing. Many of them are family members of the victims who want to see the case move forward.

“I know there’s a lot of pressure in the community to prosecute this case,” Robbins said. “The event was horrific, we feel for the victims and the family. We know they want someone prosecuted.”

McDaniel’s indictments grouped by incident

• Five Points South: 17 counts of first-degree assault and capital murder of two or more people
• Trendsetters Lounge: 10 counts of first-degree assault and capital murder of two or more people
• Death of Jamarcus McIntyre: capital murder-robbery and three counts of attempted murder
• Death of Diontranet Brown: murder
• Death of Charlie Moore: capital murder-burglary related
• McDaniel is also indicted on individual drug and gun counts. 

McDaniel is charged among more than a half dozen other defendants. Charles Nance, 41, was also arraigned following McDaniel’s hearing Wednesday on a capital murder count.

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