Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – Prosecutors in Prince George’s County didn’t get the verdict they hoped for Thursday in the case of a man charged with setting his pregnant girlfriend on fire in 2017. A jury found 34-year-old LaQuinn Phillips not guilty of attempted first degree murder, arson and assault charges.
Prosecutors argued Phillips threw gasoline on his pregnant girlfriend, Andrea Grinage, set her on fire and tried to kill her in an apartment building in Capitol Heights. The jury did not find in their favor.
“It’s a disappointment,” Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy said of the verdict.
The case was circumstantial, and Braveboy said sometimes juries err on the side of caution in those cases. Still, Braveboy said her office thought it was important to seek justice.
Grinage was left with third-degree burns on most of her body and still suffers from complications according to Braveboy. Luckily, she said the baby – now 1-year-old – was born healthy and is thriving.
While Braveboy was hoping for a different outcome Thursday, she said she respects the process and the jury’s decision.
(Copyright 2018 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. Photo: Prince George’s County Police)
