Greg Whittaker pleaded guilty Tuesday to voluntary manslaughter while armed, conspiracy to commit robbery and two related weapons charges in connection with the stabbing death of 18-year-old Olijawon Emmanuel Griffin. In exchange, prosecutors dropped initial charges, including felony murder, assault and armed robbery.
On November 17, 2012, police found Griffin inside the Woodley Park Metro Station suffering from a stab wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died.
Whittaker was one of nine young people arrested and held in connection with Griffin’s death. He is the seventh suspect to plead guilty: Previously, Deon Jefferson, Muquan Cawthorne, Gary Maye, Immanuel Swann and two unidentified juveniles have entered plea agreements.
According to Whittaker’s plea agreement, he and his codefendants planned to rob people of their iPhones and other valuables in the Gallery Place/Chinatown and Adams Morgan neighborhoods on the night of Nov. 16. Shortly after midnight, Whittaker and his co-defendants robbed Griffin of his Helly Hansen jacket, shoes, and hat after Griffin approached them to buy marijuana.
Documents state that after the robbery, the co-defendants went to the Woodley Park Metro station to return home. At station, Griffin and his friend, Issac Chase approached the co-defendants, trying to retrieve Griffin’s property.
When Chase approached the group, Swann, Cawthorne, Maye, Smith and the two juveniles threw Chase to the ground, beat him, then robbed him of his wallet. Whittaker raised his fists to Griffin, in order to keep Griffin from helping his friend, documents say.
Plea documents state Swann, Jefferson, Maye, Myers, Whittaker and a juvenile then walked up to the mezzanine level where Griffin and Whittaker began to fight. Documents state the men exchanged one punch each before Meyers, who wore a black ski mask, snuck up on Griffin and stabbed him once in the chest.
Then Whittaker saw the knife fall to the ground and heard one of the juvenile co-defendants shout, “Hey, pick that knife up, cuz!” according to the documents. After that, Whittaker took the knife took the knife and hid it on the platform level.
When the police arrived that night, documents say Whittaker gave a fake name and address to avoid arrest. He would not be arrested until March 5, 2013.
A trial is expected to begin Wednesday for the two remaining co-defendants, Isaiah Gant and Chavez Tyrek Myers.
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 13.
