Birmingham Mass Shooting Victims’ Families Shocked by Lengthy Damien McDaniel Trials
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Families of the victims of the Birmingham mass shootings are grappling with the realization that the legal process could take years. Accused mass killer Damien McDaniel, charged with the deaths of 18 people and injuries to 30 others in incidents spanning 2023 and 2024, appeared in Jefferson County Circuit Court on April 6, 2026, for a status update and DNA motion hearing.
McDaniel, currently incarcerated after his probation was revoked for a previous shooting, is scheduled for trial on Jan. 25, 2027. However, prosecutors have not yet determined which of McDaniel’s cases will go to trial first. Options include the 2024 Trendsetters Lounge mass shooting, which killed four and injured ten, or the Sept. 22, 2024 slaying of Jamarcus McIntyre, a father of two, during a robbery.
The accused faces multiple co-defendants in both cases. McDaniel’s defense team, previously led by John Robbins and Glennon Threatt, has seen Threatt withdraw from the case. The prosecution is led by Jefferson County Deputy District Attorneys Shawn Allen, Julie McMakin, Elise Driskill, and Chief Deputy District Attorney Joe Roberts.
The extended timeline has left victims’ families frustrated and anxious, highlighting the complexities of prosecuting large-scale violent crimes in Jefferson County.