FREDERICK, Md. — Jeffrey Whitney Bryan, Jr. was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the first-degree murder of Tayquan Palmer, following a ruling by Frederick County Circuit Court Judge Scott Rolle on Monday.
Bryan, 31, was convicted of fatally shooting Palmer during an altercation on July 1, 2023. According to court documents, Frederick City Police Department officers responded to a report of a man shot in the face at 170 All Saints Street at around 12:20 a.m. When officers arrived, they found Palmer unconscious and bleeding heavily. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators determined that a gathering of about 20 to 30 people took place on the night of the incident, during which Bryan and Palmer had a disagreement. Bryan left the event around 10:40 p.m. and returned two hours later wearing a hoodie and face mask. He waited until Palmer was away from the crowd before shooting him.
Upon completion of his prison sentence, Bryan will serve five years of supervised probation, which includes mental health evaluations and treatment, as well as abstinence from alcohol and drugs.
