Accused mass murderer Damien McDaniel, charged with killing 14 people and wounding 30 others in Birmingham over a span of 14 months, learned Tuesday prosecutors will seek the death penalty for him and his co-defendants in cases where execution is an option.

The 22-year-old Fairfield man appeared in a Jefferson County courtroom earlier today to be formally arraigned on the latest charges against him.

Those charges are: capital murder-for-hire involving the 2023 ambush killing of Birmingham Firefighter Jordan Melton, the capital murder-for hire in the 2024 shooting death of UPS worker Anthony Love, and the 2024 fatal shooting of Mia Nickson outside her family’s home.

McDaniel, who was brought from state prison to Jefferson County for the hearing, pleaded not guilty to the crimes.

His cases include two mass shootings that each left four dead – one at Trendsetters lounge that killed four people and wounded 10 others, and the second at Hush Lounge that killed four people and wounded 17 others.

Hatarius Woods, 27, is also charged with capital murder and 10 counts of first-degree assault in the Trendsetters mass shooting.

Ny’Quan Lollar, 22, and Crishawn Ja’mel McLemore-Bruce, 23, are also charged with capital murder of two or more people in the Hush massacre that killed four people on Birmingham’s Southside on Sept. 21, and with 17 counts of first-degree assault for those injured.

McDaniel is also charged with intentional murder in the Sept. 19, 2024, shooting death of Diontrante Tinae Brown, a 35-year-old mother who police say was an innocent bystander shot to death inside 604 Bar and Lounge on Ninth Street North.

Shackled at his hands and feet, McDaniel greeted his defense team – led by lawyer John Robbins – with smiles and handshakes, and he also turned to acknowledge his family and friends in the courtroom.

Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Shawn Allen told the court that prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty in all the capital cases involving McDaniel and those charged alongside him.

Allen also told Jefferson County Circuit Judge Shanta Owens that the district attorney’s office planned to take the Trendsetters’ case to trial first.

Allen said it is a straightforward case, but did not elaborate.

Owens said she wants to get all the cases to trial as soon as possible.

It is unlikely, prosecutors said, that any of the trials will take place in 2025.

Several other co-defendants were arraigned Tuesday, and another round of arraignments is set for Wednesday.

Also in court Tuesday were Larry Denzel Rollins Jr., 25, Charles Derius Nance, 41, and Eddie Jerry Jones, 47.

Rollins, McDaniel, and four others were initially charged with capital murder during the theft of a backpack in the Sept. 22, 2024, ambush killing of 32-year-old father two Jamarcus McIntyre.

The others charged are Crishawn Ja’mel McLemore-Bruce, 23; Ny’Quan Lollar, 22; Demarco Beck Jr., 29; and Zachary Holmes, 31.

A Jefferson County grand jury recently added capital murder-for-hire charges against the six suspects, and it was that new charge for which they were arraigned Tuesday.

Rollins, acquitted last year of an unrelated murder, is also under state and federal indictments on drug trafficking charges.

Rollins has pleaded not guilty.

His attorney, John Lentine, has previously complained about the heightened security in the courtroom which on Tuesday included 11 armed tactical deputies and two courtroom bailiffs.

The heightened measures, he contends, gives the appearance that his client is a danger and a threat.

Lentine told the judge he has formally requested the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office ease the policy on the show of force and said sheriff’s officials have not responded to his request.

He also previously complained about Rollins having to wear a bullet-proof vest to court.

The judge noted that Rollins did not have to wear the vest to court on Tuesday.

Nance is charged with capital murder for hire in Love’s slaying at UPS, and also with capital murder in Aug. 13, 2024, slaying of Charlie Herbert Moore, 61, who was shot to death inside his Birmingham home.

Police say the shooter or shooters were actually looking for someone else.

Authorities contend Nance provided the intended victim or victims’ names and address to McDaniel.

Nance has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Jones is charged with capital murder of a first responder and capital murder-for-hire in Melton’s death. He was also indicted federally in a massive drug conspiracy case.

Charging documents against Jones, who was previously convicted of murder in a 1999 homicide, state Jones provided specific information to McDaniel regarding Melton’s identification and location which led to his death.

The criminal complaint says Melton was killed because he was subpoenaed to testify against Larry Denzel Rollins in a murder trial. Rollins, who was acquitted in that murder, has not been charged in Melton’s death.

Jones’ attorney, Roger Appell, is seeking bond for Jones.

The judge said she would set a hearing on the matter but warned the attorney he “will probably not be successful” in that quest.

Appell said Jones is being held in “super max custody” at the Jefferson County Jail in Bessemer, and said the conditions for Jones are “intolerable.”

The attorney said Jones is in a cell where the lights are kept on 24 hours a day, preventing his client from sleeping.

If he cannot get bond, the attorney said, he is requesting to be moved to the county jail in downtown Birmingham.

“He’s being punished,” Appell said, “for a crime he’s pled not guilty to.”