Brandon Terry | Homicide Watch DC

22 Year Sentence for Fatal Dupont Circle Shooting

Laura Amico — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:57:04 -0400

Brandon Terry was sentenced today to 22 years in prison for the shooting death of Jhonte Coleman, 34, killed November during a large fight in Dupont Circle.

Terry, 30, is believed to have been a victim in the same fight, his attorney, Joseph Bernard, said.

Bernard said that though there were two fights that night before the party at Heritage India was shut down, Terry was not involved in either one of them. As the club emptied out, Terry took his friend's car keys and was walking to retrieve the car when he heard a commotion behind him.

When he looked back, he saw his friend on the ground being beaten, Bernard said. When Terry went to help his friend, he was attacked, too. Someone offered him a gun and he took it, and shot, Bernard said, striking Coleman and two others.

Coleman was killed; the others survived.

Coleman's family thanked Terry Friday for accepting responsibility and sparing them the pain of a drawn-out trial. But they warned him that sparing the pain did not mean that they were unaffected.

"I'm extremely grateful that this nightmare that began for our family when Jhonte [was killed] will now end for our family here today," Kimberly Hunter, Coleman's cousin, said.

"Brandon Terry, your name will be forever etched in my memory. I hope my brother's name will be forever etched in your memory. You crippled our entire family. Every day that Jhonte's gone, life seems a little harder and the world a little colder," she said.

Terry declined to make a statement at sentencing. His 22-year sentence on the murder charge is concurrent to a 16 year sentence for two charges of assault with a deadly weapon related to the surviving victims in the shooting.

Brandon Terry Pleas Guilty to Heritage India Shooting

Lindsey Anderson — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 10:33:46 -0400

Brandon Terry pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder while armed in the fatal shooting of Jhonte Coleman.

Coleman was killed in November 2011 after a party at Heritage India in Dupont Circle. Terry, 29, was arrested in February.

Under the plea agreement, attorneys for both sides recommended Terry serve 22 years for the murder charge and two assault charges. The maximum possible sentence is 60 years total.

Terry only spoke to give Judge Ronna Beck one- or two-word answers to her questions about the plea agreement and forfeiting his right to a trial.

Prosecutor Melinda Williams described the events leading up to the shooting.

She said that, after the November Heritage India party was shut down early, attendees poured out into the street. Terry was jumped by a Prince George's County crew, the Forest Creek Crew. The group kicked and stomped him.

After the assault, Terry walked across the street and got a gun from a friend. He approached Coleman, who was standing on a street median, and asked if he was part of the Forest Creek Crew. Before he had time to answer, Terry fired, striking Coleman and two others, Williams said. Coleman was not part of the initial assault.

Coleman later died of his injuries.

“Is that what happened?” Beck asked.

“Yes,” Terry answered.

“Do you disagree with any part of that statement?” she asked.

“No,” Terry said.

Terry is scheduled for sentencing June 22 at 9:30 a.m. Members of Coleman’s family are scheduled to give victim impact statements during the sentencing.

Fox5: Md. Man Lost his Job When Detectives Told Employer he was a Murder Suspect

Laura Amico — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:39:25 -0500

Fox5 reported yesterday on the case of a Maryland man who lost his job after MPD detectives told his boss that he was a suspect in the Heritage India murder case. The man has been cleared, but did not get his job back.

Watch the report below.

Man Loses Job After DC Police Name Him as Murder Suspect: MyFoxDC.com

Suspect in Dupont Circle Melee Told Police he Came to Aid of Friends

Laura Amico — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:15:16 -0500

A 29-year-old Maryland man who was arrested this week on suspicion of fatally shooting Jhonte Coleman during a large fight in Dupont Circle told police that he became involved in the melee when he saw his friends being jumped.

Brandon Terry is suspected of second-degree murder while armed in the case; a preliminary hearing is scheduled for the end of the month.

According to charging documents, the night's problems began with two fights near a photo booth at a Heritage India party. Security escorted the people involved in those fights outside, but after the second incident, Heritage India decided to close the even early. According to the charging documents, the move "sent the patrons spilling onto the streets."

More fighting broke out, which led to a brawl, the charging documents say. Terry told police that when he saw his friends "being jumped," he came to their aid but was hurt himself in the fight.

Eight people were eventually injured, including Coleman. Terry was injured, too. When he sought medical treatment to stitch up his cut hand, he told doctors that he had "stabbed three people and shot somebody."

Read the charging documents below.

Maryland Man Arrested in Connection with Dupont Circle-Area Shooting

Laura Amico — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:42:59 -0500

A 29-year-old Maryland man was arrested Monday on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death Jhonte Coleman, MPD said Monday afternoon.

The suspect, Brandon Terry, has not yet been presented with the charge, according to court records.

Coleman, 34, was killed outside of Heritage India on Connecticut Avenue, NW on Nov. 27, 2011 during a fight that injured six people.

MPD's press release is below.

February 13, 2012

Arrest Made in the Homicide in the
1300 Block of Connecticut Avenue, NW

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Departments Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in the fatal shooting which occurred in the 1300 block of Connecticut Avenue, NW.

On Sunday, November 27, 2011, at approximately 2:34 am units from the Second District responded to a call for a shooting in the 1300 block of Connecticut Avenue, NW. Upon arrival, they located three gunshot victims and two victims suffering from stab wounds, all adult males. A third adult male stabbing victim was later discovered at an area hospital. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the scene and transported all victims to local area hospitals. One of the gunshot victims identified as 34-year-old Jhonte Coleman of Suitland, MD, later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

On Monday, February 13, 2012, at approximately 8:15 am, members from the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 29 year-old Brandon Terry, of Riverdale, MD, pursuant to an arrest warrant and charged him with Murder Two while Armed in the homicide of Jhonte Coleman.