Former Baltimore officer says in testimony he watched porn in daycare van, never molested children

BALTIMORE -- The former Baltimore officer accused of molesting children at his then-wife's daycare in Baltimore County told his side of the story, testifying for several hours in his defense at his trial on Thursday.

James Weems Jr. told the jury life was good, that he frequently traveled and ate at fancy restaurants with his wife Shanteari, until it all crumbled in July of 2022 when he was accused of molesting children at Lil Kidz Kastle, the successful daycare she owned in Owings Mills. 

Weems categorically denied ever abusing children in his regular job driving the daycare's van. 

His lead defense attorney, Thomas Pavlinic, declined to comment to WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren when he left the court following Thursday's testimony.

Pavlinic said he would speak following the verdict.

Admits to watching porn in daycare van

Weems described the now 12-year-old victim who testified against him as "a nice little girl." 

He admitted he regularly looked at pornography while driving the daycare van but testified he "leaned over" so the children could not see it. 

Baltimore County prosecutor Lisa Dever detailed Weems's searches for pornography, which the FBI obtained while analyzing his phone, and how he would search for graphic videos involving "teens" and "grandpa" while he was driving the van from elementary school to elementary school in Baltimore County.

"That's what you liked, you liked the teen, young look," Dever said.

"I just liked the porn," Weems replied.

At one point, the 59-year-old former Marine and Baltimore City police officer conceded watching the videos was "inappropriate" under re-direct testimony from his lawyer. 

Weems explained watching pornography was "just to pass time while I'm waiting" for children to leave school.

The prosecutor later asked, "Isn't it true most of the time you were looking at pornography is when you were with the kids?" 

"Probably, yes," Weems answered.

Dever responded, "So your addiction was when you were with children?" 

Weems answered, "No."

He also admitted it was possible the children accidentally saw the pornography—and that he would at times hand his phone to them so they could look at an app to identify airplanes. 

"It became addictive"

Weems alleged his ex-wife, who later shot him during a confrontation about the allegations, introduced him to porn during their intimate relations.

"It became addictive so I would just go on it when we weren't together," he testified. 

But he said he never looked at child porn—and testified he willingly handed over his phone and provided his passcode to police during the investigation.

Shanteari Weems is serving a four-year prison sentence for that shooting and earlier testified for the prosecution. 

She divorced him and has since changed her name to Shanteari Young. 

Her testimony was the first time the two have been in the same room since that shooting inside a Washington, D.C. hotel.

Investigation concerns

Weems's defense has questioned the thoroughness of the investigation into the allegations and claimed police never photographed the playground where an alleged sexual assault occurred and were unable to get the password to access the daycare's camera system. 

The defense also claimed authorities never asked the other children on the bus whether they witnessed the sexual assault of the young victim who testified. 

Asked by Dever, "Is it your testimony you had no supervisory responsibility over these children at all in that daycare?" 

Weems responded, "Yes." 

He said he was never paid and was trying to help his wife and told the jury, "I just drove the van."

Defense rests

Weems's defense rested its case Thursday afternoon.

Prosecutors said they would nol pros or drop several counts. The majority of the case is intact.

The counts jurors will decide when they begin deliberations on Friday:

•3 counts sexual abuse of a minor 

•2 counts second-degree rape

•1 count of displaying obscene material to a minor. 

Closing arguments are expected to begin at 9:30 a.m.