Three defendants pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder charges in the 2011 death of 20-year-old Kevin Blackwell Jr.
Wayne Jackson, 23, Harold Proctor, 20, and Christopher Williams, 21, were indicted by a grand jury on first-degree murder charges in August for what prosecutors said was a killing motivated by revenge.
Blackwell, according to prosecutors, had assaulted and robbed Proctor and Williams. Proctor, Williams and Jackson, along with another man, attacked Blackwell at the 900 block of Burns Street Southeast on Dec. 17, 2011 to get back at him for the crime, prosecutors said.
The men arranged to meet Blackwell outside of his home. Then, while Proctor sat in their idling vehicle, Williams and Jackson waited outside and ambushed Blackwell with a knife and brass knuckles. Blackwell called 911 on his cell phone before his attackers stole the phone and his North Face jacket, according to prosecutors.
Proctor and Williams also pled guilty to charges of obstructing justice. Prosecutors say the men attempted to get the fourth attacker – who was a witness in the case – to provide false information to investigators.
The defendants’ charges carry a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Judge Ronna Beck is scheduled to sentence them Feb. 22, 2013.
A press release fro the US Attorney’s Office is below.
Three Men Plead Guilty to Second-Degree Murder While Armed
In 2011 Stabbing in Southeast Washington
Defendants Lured Victim to Scene, Stabbed, and Robbed Him;
Attack Captured on Victim’s 911 CallWASHINGTON – Wayne Jackson, 23, of Capitol Heights, Md., Harold Proctor, 20, of Upper Marlboro, Md., and Christopher Williams, 21, of Landover, Md., have pled guilty to second-degree murder while armed and related charges for the 2011 slaying of a man in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.
The defendants entered their pleas on Nov. 16, 2012, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Proctor and Williams also pled guilty to obstructing justice for their role in attempting to interfere in the murder investigation.
The Honorable Ronna L. Beck scheduled sentencing for Feb. 22, 2013. All three men face up to 40 years of incarceration for the murder charge. Proctor and Williams each face up to an additional 30 years of incarceration for obstructing justice.
According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 17, 2011, the defendants and a co-conspirator, who previously pled guilty in this case, devised a plan to rob and assault the victim, Kevin Blackwell, Jr., 20. Proctor drove Williams, Jackson, and the co-conspirator to the 900 block of Burns Street SE, and the co-conspirator lured the victim outside. Armed with a knife and brass knuckles, Williams and Jackson got out of the car and waited to ambush Mr. Blackwell. Proctor and the co-conspirator kept the car idling nearby.
At about 10:30 p.m., when Mr. Blackwell came into sight, Williams and Jackson chased him down the street. Mr. Blackwell tripped and fell to the ground, and Williams and Jackson attacked him with the knife and brass knuckles. Proctor drove the car to the location where the victim fell, got out of the car, and joined in the attack. Jackson stabbed the victim in the chest.
During the attack, Mr. Blackwell was able to call 911 on his cell phone and the robbery and murder were captured on the 911 call.The defendants took Mr. Blackwell’s cell phone and North Face jacket and fled the area. Proctor drove the defendants and the co-conspirator away from the scene and back into Maryland. The next day, the victim’s cell phone and North Face jacket were discovered in Proctor’s bedroom.
During the investigation into the murder, both Proctor and Williams contacted the co-conspirator and asked the co-conspirator to mislead law enforcement by blaming the other for the murder. Williams also threatened the co-conspirator if the co-conspirator “snitched.”
In announcing the guilty pleas, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the detectives, officers, and crime scene technicians who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department. He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Ethel Gregory, Marian Russell, and Sandra Lane; Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman; Victim/Witness Advocate Tamara Ince, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh. Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen recognized Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Gripkey and Kimberley Nielsen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
