Judge John Ramsey Johnson ruled Friday that Donzell Butler will serve more than 13 years in prison for the July 2012 stabbing death of Charles Anthony Scott Jr.
Butler pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and assault with significant bodily injury in January. Judge Johnson ruled Friday that the sentences for each will run consecutively, meaning that Butler will serve 160 months in prison.
Police found Scott and another man suffering from stab wounds on July 7, 2012, at approximately 9:50 p.m. in the 5300 block of Ames Street Northeast. Plea documents state Scott died from stab wounds to the neck and one in his shoulder.
Three days later, Butler, now 23, was arrested and held on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in Scott’s death.
According to plea documents, Scott and others were leaving a carry-out restaurant on East Capitol Street on July 7, 2012, when his group passed and almost ran into Butler on the sidewalk. Butler then followed Scott onto Ames Street Northeast, according to witnesses.
A man in Scott’s group, Kevin Reeves, stopped and asked Butler, “Are y’all good?” Butler responded, “Yeah, your man good?”
The exchange lead to a physical confrontation in which Butler stabbed Scott and Reeves multiple times, according to a factual proffer in the plea agreement.
On Friday, Althea Scott told the court that her son was preparing for his sophomore year in college, working two jobs, and preparing for marriage “with a young woman he had known since seventh grade.”
Her son’s death has left a void for the whole family, but worst of all, “I’ll never be able to feel my son’s hugs.”
Scott’s father, Charles Scott Sr. also addressed the court, explaining the difficulties he faces two years after his son’s death.
“Every day, I learned he meant more and more to me. He was my first-born son and God allowed me to see him,” Scott said.
At sentencing Friday, Butler’s defense attorney, Michael Carter, said that Butler took responsibility for his actions and has “a lack of a criminal history.” Prosecutors in the case said Friday that no one else was armed in the fight and that Butler was responsible for the escalation.
Before sentencing, Butler apologized to his family and Scott’s family and asked for forgiveness.
“From now on, I will do whatever it is I can do to make up for my actions,” he said.
