Davon Thomas was sentenced Wednesday to four years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in connection with the January 2013 death of 53-year-old Emanuel Campbell, despite prosecutors’ request for an eight year sentence.
Thomas pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter last Sept. after being indicted for second-degree murder.
“Mr. Thomas started in this event as a victim of a serious crime,” said Judge Russell Canan during Wednesday’s sentencing, “but he took the law into his own hands.”
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This comment of the day comes from ConcernedCitizen who wrote about Ronnell Daniels, who was found shot multiple times in the unit block of 55th Street Southeast last Monday.
This is really shocking. When he came out, we encouraged him to stay off the streets. Daniels was a laid back kind of guy. I thought he would fall under the radars @40yrs of age, there isn’t anything on the streets at 11:15pm but trouble. I pray someone sees this and makes a different choice. STAY OFF THE STREETS, bullets have no respect of person.
In brief:
Three homicides were reported this week in D.C.
Jurors found Johnathan Dawkins guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Dwayne Brisbon. On Thursday, Dawkins took the stand to tell jurors he stabbed Brisbon because he feared for his life after another man restrained him while Brisbon beat him.
Lamonte Hill was sentenced to nine years in prison for voluntary manslaughter while armed in connection with the death of Brian Bloomfield. According to the proffer of facts, Hill and another man followed Bloomfield out of an apartment building and assaulted Bloomfield, stabbing him several times and shooting him once.
Sosefina Amoa, 26, was sentenced to four years in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the death of her infant son. As she is originally from Samoa, she will also face deportation after her release.
Earl Patrick, 48, was arrested and held on suspicion of first-degree felony murder in connection with death of 60-year-old Carlton Coltrane. Patrick is the second person arrested in connection with this case: Zerrick Brown was arrested and held on suspicion of first-degree felony murder in connection with the case.
James Brown, 23, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of carrying a rifle in connection with the shooting death of Darnell Rivers. In exchange for his plea, Brown will be sentenced to 2 to 3 years in prison.
Carlos Parks and Troy Robinson pleaded innocent to charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery and conspiracy in connection with the shooting death of Tywayne Thompson. Police believe Thompson was shot after Parks and Robinson attempted to steal a scooter he was selling.
William Hunt will remain held in connection with the 2011 stabbing death of George White after Judge Rhonda Winston found substantial probability in the case. Police believe White was stabbed multiple times after an argument about a lawnmower.
Each week, Homicide Watch brings you a list of upcoming hearings in the cases we follow. All hearings are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. unless otherwise noted. To add an item to the listing, email homicidewatchdc [at] gmail.com. To see scheduled court hearings beyond next week, see our calendar.
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Judge Rhonda Winston found substantial probability Friday against William Hunt in connection with the 2011 stabbing death of George White.
Police found White, 48, dead from multiple stab wounds at approximately 1:45 p.m. on May 20, 2011 in his apartment on the 400 block of Newcomb Street Southeast. Charging documents say that White was stabbed 59 times.
On Friday, Metropolitan Police Detective Carter Adams testified that White actually suffered 67 “sharp incise wounds.”
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A jury found Johnathan Dawkins guilty of voluntary manslaughter while armed in connection with the stabbing death of Dwayne Brisbon after two days of deliberations.
Brisbon, 33, was found stabbed in a crashed car at the 500 block of Florida Avenue Northwest around 2:15 a.m. on May 1, 2012. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
During the four day trial, prosecutors argued that Dawkins escalated a fist fight between the two men when he pulled out his knife.
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Judge, attorneys, and observers all waited in silence for two minutes before Sosefina Amoa’s sentencing Friday. Those two minutes represented how long it took Amoa to suffocate her newborn son to death, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Wright.
Amoa, 26, was sentenced to four years in prison and five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in February. Amoa, who is originally from Samoa will also face deportation after her release.
During the sentencing hearing, Defense Attorney Judith Pipe asked the court to allow Amoa to go back to her family in Samoa and asked Judge Robert Morin to rule her sentence as time served.
“Of course this is a case that deserves punishment,” said Pipe, “but she will be punished by it every day of her life.”
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Lamonte Hill was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison for voluntary manslaughter while armed in connection with the shooting and stabbing death of Brian Bloomfield.
Hill pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter as part of a plea deal that reduced his charges from second-degree murder while armed and a related weapons offense.
Police found Bloomfield on June 11, 2012 suffering from stab wounds and an upper gunshot wound at the 3400 block of 13th Place Southeast.
Bloomfield’s family addressed the court Friday about their loss. “He acted more like a father to me than an uncle,” said Khalilia Faunteroy, “His children had the best father in the world.”
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Prosecutors in the murder trial against Johnathan Dawkins say that Dwayne Brisbon just stopped to check on the welfare of a perfect stranger and it cost him his life. But Dawkin’s defense attorneys say Dawkins stabbed Brisbon in self-defense after a second man held him while Brisbon beat him that night.
After four days of trial, it is now up to jurors to decide whether Dawkins acted to safe his own life, or whether he purposefully brought a knife to a fist fight, as prosecutors have alleged.
Brisbon, 33, was found stabbed in a crashed car at the 500 block of Florida Avenue Northwest, around 2:15 a.m. on May 1, 2012. Dawkins is charged with voluntary manslaughter while armed in connection with his death.
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Johnathan Dawkins took the stand Wednesday and told jurors he was afraid for his life before fatally stabbing 33-year-old Dwayne Brisbon.
“I looked up and I immediately thought, they are about to jump me,” said Dawkins, “I was scared, I panicked.”
Dawkins is charged with voluntary manslaughter while armed in connection with the stabbing death of Brisbon. On May 1, 2012, Brisbon was found stabbed in a crashed car at the 500 block of Florida Avenue Northwest around 2:15 a.m.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys agree that Dawkins and Brisbon fought shortly before Brisbon was stabbed. But prosecutors say that it was never a fair fight since Dawkins intended to use deadly force with his knife.
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