Jury Delivers Guilty Verdict to Jamaal Thomas for the Murder of Miles Armstead

July 17, 2024

OAKLAND, CA —Today, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced that prosecutors obtained a conviction against Jamal Thomas (47) for the murder of Miles Armstead. The jury deliberated for one day and found the defendant guilty of first-degree murder for the shooting death of Mr. Armstead. Mr. Thomas was also found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon with priors. The conviction also includes a gun enhancement.

The testimony and evidence presented at trial showed that on May 1, 2020, Mr. Armstead was running away from Mr. Thomas when the deadly shooting occurred. The incident was preceded by months of verbal attacks by Mr. Thomas against Mr. Armstead and his family, which had escalated to rock and brick throwing through the windows of the victim’s home. At the time of his death, Mr. Armstead was doing landscaping on his house to prepare it for sale because of the harassment by Mr. Thomas. Neighbors identified the defendant as the shooter.

“I first want to thank the jury for their diligent work in delivering this guilty verdict,” said DA Pamela Price. “I also want to thank our entire prosecution team, including Deputy District Attorney Nathan Feldman, DAO Inspector Jason Turner, Victim-Witness Advocates Erica Chavis, Fabiola Guitierrez, and Mayra Canales. We recognize this horrific tragedy leaves a wife without a husband and her children without a father and a community forever traumatized by this unacceptable and vicious attack on an unarmed man.”

Mr. Thomas faces 36 years and 9 months to life in prison. Sentencing is set for August 13, 2024, in Department 8 at the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland.

Contact: damedia@acgov.org

The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (DAO) is one of California’s largest prosecutors’ offices and is led by Alameda County’s first Black woman District Attorney Pamela Y. Price. Price brings her vision to this office to fairly administer justice in the pursuit of thriving, healthy, and safe communities for every person who steps foot in Alameda County, no matter their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income, or zip code. Price has been recognized as one of the most progressive prosecutors through her forward-thinking, innovative strategies to interrupt cycles of violence and crime and bring change to a criminal justice system rooted in systemic racism. Follow Madam DA on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and @AlamedaCountyda on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.