GERMANTOWN, Md. — It’s a conviction that took nearly two years. On Thursday, Oct. 28, a Maryland jury convicted D’Andre Wall of Germantown of attempted second degree murder and use of a handgun in a violent crime after they say he fired into a car after an apparent road rage incident.
Wall is the nephew of former Washington Wizards star, John Wall.
The shooting left then 19-year-old Elimar DePaula paralyzed.
“Everything has changed for me,” she said.
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DePaula feels she was robbed of some of her best years when D’Andre Wall shot into the car she was riding in.
"It hasn't just changed my life, it changed my family's life. Like my mom's life revolves around me, around taking me places, like my physical therapy which I go to every single day,” DePaula said.
In August of 2019, when Elimar was just 19 years old, court documents show that Wall got upset after he was cut off in the parking lot. He was so enraged that he started shooting, leaving Elimar paralyzed.
“It's really important to control our emotions because you can really affect somebody's life. Even though it may not be your intention, you can really hurt somebody or kill somebody,” DePaula added.
Wall now faces up to 40 years in prison. Meanwhile, Elimar said the shooting has made her a stronger.
"I would say it's made me stronger, but I wouldn't wish it on anybody and I would take it back in a heartbeat if I could," DePaula said.
She added that Wall has not apologized for what he did. She has a message for him.
“I would tell him that I forgive them. Even though it's been hard for me to get to that point,” DePaula said.