Damon Antonio Sams | Homicide Watch DC

Damon Sams Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Shooting Death of Ashley McRae

Laura Amico — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:21:16 -0400

"I know a million sorries won't ever bring her back," Damon Sams, shackled and wearing an orange jumpsuit told the family of Ashley McRae today in DC Superior Court. "I never meant to shoot her. I wanted to make sure Ashley got home safe."

The words moved many of the two dozen people gathered in Judge Gerald Fisher's courtroom for Sams' sentencing to tears.

McRae's family, wearing t-shirts in memory of the 21-year-old they called "Mama," sobbed through much of Sams' long statement to them and to the court, then gasped audibly when Sams, 23, turned to Fisher with this plea:

"A million tears and I can't bring her back. That being said, Judge Fisher, I'm ready for my sentence."

That sentence, Fisher announced moments later, was 10 years in prison: sixty months for involuntary manslaughter and sixty months for possession of a firearm.

In agreeing to plead guilty of involuntary manslaughter, Sams signed a proffer of evidence stating that he shot McRae once in the head while she was seated in the backseat of a car early in the morning of September 18, 2010.

He said he fired the gun accidentally when his finger touched the trigger. He was attempting to engage the safety on a .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol.

"I don't call it a murder case," Sams said at his sentencing. "Ashley passed away due to me putting a gun on safety."

McRae's mother and sister addressed the court. Her mother, wearing a memorial t-shirt and tag necklace, appeared to struggle to find words to address to Sams before finally saying:

"I don't know what made you kill my baby. I want to hate you but in order to move on I have to forgive you. I just want you to know you hurt my family."

Said McRae's sister:

"I hate you. I don't know when I will ever forgive you. You took my baby sister. That was the baby, baby girl. There's no bringing her back. All we got is pictures."

But Sams, while begging for forgiveness, told them that their plight and grief can at least be lessened by justice being done.

"There are a lot of cases out here that get unsolved," Sams said of DC homicides. "I've been totally honest. It's not about me. I was concerned about the family, that's why I turned myself in."

"I made a lot of bad choices due to the environment I was in," he said. "I sit in my cell and stare at the picture of Ashley I have on my wall."

A press release from the US Attorney's Office about the case is below.

District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison In September 2010 Slaying in Southeast Washington - Defendant Pled Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter, Weapons Charges -

WASHINGTON - Damon Sams, 23, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in a slaying that took place in September 2010 in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Sams, of Washington, D.C., also known as “Milli” and “9-Milli,” pled guilty to the felony charges in May 2011 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Gerald I. Fisher to five years on the involuntary manslaughter count, and five years on the firearms count, the two sentences to run consecutively.

The government’s evidence indicated that Sams did not intend to shoot the victim, Ashley McRae, or discharge the firearm. According to the government’s evidence, on September 18, 2010, at 3:30 a.m., Sams shot Ms. McRae, 21, once in the forehead while she was in the back seat on the driver’s side of a car parked behind a building in the 2700 block of Bruce Place SE.

At the time of the shooting, Sams was standing in the space created by the open rear passenger door of the car, with a pistol in his hand. By his account, he was attempting to engage the safety on the pistol before getting into the car. He touched the trigger to see if the safety was on – while holding the pistol pointed into the car. A round discharged, killing the victim.

Sams already had fired the pistol that night, shortly before killing McRae, and no reasonable person could have thought it would be safe to touch the trigger with a pistol pointed in the direction of another person. Earlier that night, Sams had fired the pistol into the air out of anger at an incident at a club in Maryland, involving unrelated individuals.

In announcing today’s sentencing, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch, Mobile Crime Laboratory and Seventh District detectives’ office, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas (Pat) Martin, who investigated and obtained an indictment in the case, Victim Advocate Marcey Rinker, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Friedman, who handled the guilty plea and sentencing.

Damon Sams Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter in Ashley McRae Shooting

Karen Frantz — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:23:26 -0400

Damon Sams of the District pled guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge today in connection with the shooting of Ashley McRae, 21. McRae, also from the District, was found in the backseat of a car with a single gunshot wound to her head and died at George Washington University Hospital last September.

Sams, 23, had earlier been indicted by a grand jury on second degree murder charges, to which he pled not guilty.

Sams said he accidentally shot McRae when he was trying to put the safety on a .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, and the government said in a press release that its evidence indicated Sams did not intend to shoot McRae.

According to the release:

Sams already had fired the pistol that night, shortly before killing McRae, and no reasonable person could have thought it would be safe to touch the trigger with a pistol pointed in the direction of another person. Earlier that night, Sams had fired the pistol into the air out of anger at an incident at a club in Maryland, involving unrelated individuals.

Sams also pled guilty to charges of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces up to 45 years in prison, and at least five under mandatory-minimum laws.

The full release from the United States Attorney's Office is after the jump.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

District Man Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter

In September 2010 Slaying in Southeast Washington

- Evidence Indicates He Did Not Intend to Shoot 21-Year-Old Victim -

WASHINGTON - Damon Sams, 23, pled guilty today to charges of involuntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in a slaying that took place in September 2010 in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Sams, also known as “Milli” and “9-Milli,” entered his guilty plea before the Honorable Gerald I. Fisher in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Sams, of Washington, D.C., is to be sentenced on July 8, 2011. He faces up to 45 years of imprisonment, including a mandatory-minimum sentence of five years. Under the court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, the likely sentencing range is between five and 14 years in prison.

The government’s evidence indicated that Sams did not intend to shoot the victim or discharge the firearm. According to the government’s evidence, on September 18, 2010, at 3:30 a.m., Sams shot the victim, Ashley McRae, 21, once in the forehead while she was seated in the back seat on the driver’s side of a car parked behind a building in the 2700 block of Bruce Place SE.

At the time of the shooting, Sams was standing in the space created by the open rear passenger door of the car, with a pistol in his hand. By his account, he was attempting to engage the safety on the pistol before getting into the car. He touched the trigger to see if the safety was on – while holding the pistol pointed into the car. A round discharged, killing the victim.

Sams already had fired the pistol that night, shortly before killing McRae, and no reasonable person could have thought it would be safe to touch the trigger with a pistol pointed in the direction of another person. Earlier that night, Sams had fired the pistol into the air out of anger at an incident at a club in Maryland, involving unrelated individuals.

In announcing today’s guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of Metropolitan Police Department Homicide lead detective Jeffrey Clay and partner Earl Delauder, Mobile Crime lead technician Ridley Durham, and 7th District detective Cornell Johnson, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas (Pat) Martin, who investigated and obtained an indictment in the case, and Daniel Friedman, who obtained the guilty plea.

Plea documents have been added to this post.

Damon Sams Plea Deal and Sentencing Memo (PDF)Damon Sams Plea Deal and Sentencing Memo (Text)

Damon Sams Pleads "Not Guilty" in Death of Ashley McRae

Laura Amico — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 10:58:43 -0500

A Southeast D.C. man accused of killing Columbia Heights 21-year-old Ashley McRae has been indicted by a grand jury on second degree murder charges.

McRae was found in the backseat of a car in Southeast D.C. with a gunshot wound to her head early in the morning of Sept. 18. According to press reports and charging documents against Damon Sams, McRae and Sams had been out at a nightclub Friday night and got in an argument while riding in the car to a house party.

According to the charging documents, Sams admitted in an videotaped interview with police that he had shot McRae in the head with a .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, but said the gun's firing was accidental.

Shortly before shooting [McRae], [Sams] stated that he fired his pistol once up into the air and then was putting his weapon away when it "accidentally" went off and struck [McRae] in the head.

Damon Sams appeared in court Thursday to answer to the charge of second degree murder, as well as charges of gun possession and that the offenses were committed while he was on release for another case.

Sams plead "not guilty" on all counts. A jury trial is expected to be held in June.

McRae's shooting death escalated gang tensions in the community
Jamal Coates, a 21-year-old D.C. man, was killed outside of McRae's funeral on Sept. 28. McRae's funeral was described as "tense;" the funeral "brought out a lot of crew members from nearby communities," TBD reported.

Tensions among the attendees started heating up, and Coates decided to do something about it. According to longtime Ward 1 activist Bryan Weaver, he asked people to take it easy, "to knock it off."

The appeal didn't work. The commotion merely intensified, changing U Street from a hip lunch destination to a crime corridor. In fast succession, the gang hostilities produced a shootout and a Hollywood-caliber car accident. They also claimed the life of the 21-year-old Coates.

Brandon Miller has been charged with first-degree murder in Coates' death. Miller is due in court Jan. 14, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. for a preliminary hearing.

Antonio Valdez Vela

Laura Amico — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:48:31 -0400

Antonio Valdez Vela, a 22-year-old man from Waldorf, Md., died August 30 after being shot. Vela was found suffering from gunshot wounds by Metro Police responding to a gunshots call at approximately 11:30 p.m. at in the 4400 block of F Street, D.C. Metro Police said. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

On Sept. 24 DeAngelo Jose Garner, a 25-year-old man from District Heights, Md., was arrested and charged with first degree murder for Vela's death (2010 CF1 018020 United States Vs. GARNER, DEANGELO). Garner is currently (10-20-10) in custody at the Central Detention Facility.

He is expected in court again Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m. for a preliminary hearing. Garner is represented by court appointed attorney, Justin Okezie.

Garner was arrested the same day as two other murder suspects wanted by Metro PD. Marlon Williams was arrested for the death Min Soo Kang and Damon Antonio Sams was arrested for Ashley McRae's death.

Garner, DeAngeloJose VINElink

GARNER, DeAngelo docket 10-20

Arrest in Ashley McRae Homicide

Laura Amico — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:50:55 -0400

Reader Kaai gave an excellent heads up this morning that an arrest has been made in the shooting death of 21-year-old Columbia Heights woman Ashley McRae.

"Antonio Sams of Southeast has been arrested and charged with 2nd degree murder. God is Good. She was such a sweet girl. I hope he never sees sun light again.... RIP Moma," wrote Kaai.

In a press release, Metro Police said 22-year-old Damon Antonio Sams of Southeast, DC was arrested just before 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24 and charged with second degree murder while armed for McRae's death.

In D.C. Superior Court records, a misdemeanor case against Damon A. Sams is currently open. That suspect was charged July 10, 2010 with threats to do bodily harm. On Thursday the prosecution filed a motion for continuance of the trial date. Damon A. Sams is being represented in that case by Attorney Cherlyn Freeman-Watkins of the Law Office of C. Freeman-Watkins. We can't be certain that this is the same suspect as Damon Antonio Sams but will follow up.

A memorial service for McRae is planned for Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 10 a.m. at Walker Memorial Baptist Church 2020 13th st N.W, according to a Facebook memorial post.

Metro Police announced Sams' arrest at the same time as two unrelated homicide case arrests: Marlon Williams of Southeast, DC for the shooting death of Min Soo Kang on the 3500 block of Croffut Place, SE and 24-year-old DeAngelo Jose Garner of District Heights, Md. for the shooting death of 22-year-old Antonio Valdez Vela of Waldorf, Md. on the 4400 block of F Street, SE.

Read the Washington Post's coverage here and the Examiner's coverage here.