Decordre Franklin | Homicide Watch DC

Decordre Franklin Sentenced to 15 Years For Irving Jones Jr. Murder

Ivan Natividad — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 18:00:17 -0400

Judge John Ramsey Johnson sentenced Decordre Franklin to 15 years in prison Friday for the shooting death of 33-year-old Irving Jones Jr.

"There was no sense to it," Judge Johnson said. "It was a completely senseless thing to shoot Irving Jones."

Police found Jones on March 30 around 2:00 a.m. lying on a sidewalk near a playground in the 600 block of Edgewood Street Northeast suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He later died at a local hospital. Franklin, 37, was arrested about a week later and charged with second-degree murder while armed.

Franklin pleaded guilty in June to voluntary manslaughter while armed in connection with Jones' death.

Plea documents state that the morning of the murder Jones and Franklin got into a physical altercation outside of the Edgewood Terrace apartment complex. When the fight ended the two men began arguing. Franklin pulled out a handgun and shot Jones in the chest at close range and then fled the scene.

During sentencing Friday, Jones' mother spoke to the court.

With tears running down her face she expressed how much she missed her son and that she felt the plea agreement was not enough. She then turned in the direction of Franklin telling him that she will never forgive him.

"How dare you? How could you do that to him?" she said.

Prosecutors in the case said Friday that Franklin had a history of alcohol related crimes and that the day Jones was shot, Franklin was drunk. He has not shown remorse for Jones' death, prosecutors said. But Franklin's defense attorney, Joseph Caleb, said Franklin knew Jones well, and the fact that he accepted the plea shows he was sorry and that he didn't want to put Jones' family through a trial.

Franklin turned to address the Jones family, seated throughout the courtroom.

"I'm sorry big Irv, I'm sorry Sean, I can't take things back," he said. "I don't know if you gone forgive me or not but, I just can't get over it."

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

District Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison
For Fatal Shooting in Northeast Washington
-Defendant Shot Victim During Argument in Edgewood Terrace Area -

WASHINGTON – Decordre Franklin, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 15 years in prison on a charge stemming from a fatal shooting that took place earlier this year in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Franklin pled guilty in June 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to voluntary manslaughter while armed in the slaying of Irving Jones. He was sentenced by the Honorable John Ramsey Johnson. Upon completion of his prison term, Franklin will be placed on five years of supervised release.

According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning of March 30, 2013, Franklin was seen in a yard at Edgewood Terrace, within the 600 block of Edgewood Street NE, carrying and playing with a handgun. Afterward, Franklin and Mr. Jones, 33, hung out together with others in the same vicinity. During that time, Mr. Jones and Franklin engaged in a brief physical altercation, which has been described by some witnesses as horseplay. After the altercation ended at approximately 2:10 a.m., Franklin then argued verbally with Mr. Jones.

While yelling at Mr. Jones, Franklin pulled out a handgun and shot him in the chest at close range. He then fled. Mr. Jones collapsed to the ground and died shortly afterward.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division, crime scene officers, and the Fifth Police District of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim Witness Program Specialist Marcia Rinker and Paralegal Specialist Marian Russell. He also praised the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shana L. Fulton, who prosecuted the case.

Decordre Franklin Pleads Guilty to Irving Jones Jr. Murder

Penny Ray — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:22:31 -0400

Decordre Franklin pleaded guilty Friday to voluntary manslaughter while armed in connection with the shooting death of 33-year-old Irving Jones Jr. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors will not indict Franklin on any additional charges related to Jones' death.

Police found Jones around 2 a.m. March 30 lying on a sidewalk near a playground in the 600 block of Edgewood Street Northeast suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He later died at MedStar Washington Hospital.

According to the plea agreement, Jones and Franklin engaged in a brief physical altercation while outdoors in the Edgewood Terrace apartment complex that Saturday morning. After the fight ended, the two men began arguing. Sometime during the verbal argument, Franklin pulled out a handgun, shot Jones in the chest at close range and then fled the scene.

Franklin is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge John Ramsey Johnson September 13.

Plea documents have been added to this post.

Decordre Franklin Plea Documents (PDF)Decordre Franklin Plea Documents (Text)

Judge Finds Substantial Probability in Case Against Decordre Franklin

Vanya Mehta — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:44:37 -0400

Decordre Anthony Franklin, 26, was ordered held Wednesday afternoon in connection with the March 30 shooting death of 33-year-old Irving Jones, Jr.

While defense attorney Joseph Caleb attempted to at least reduce the ruling to probable cause, Judge Karen Howze determined substantial probability based on witness accounts. Howze argued that even the witness's accusation that he was playing with the gun was enough to constitute substantial probability.

According to the charging documents, a witness saw Franklin, also known as "AJ," pointing a handgun at Jones and "playing" with the gun. The same witness observed Franklin and Jones in a verbal argument and shortly after, heard a gun shot in the vicinity.

Charging documents state another witness saw Franklin several feet away from Jones, saw him shoot twice, and watched Jones fall to the ground.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for April 29 with Judge Ramsey Johnson.

Decordre Franklin Arrest Warrant Redacted (PDF)Decordre Franklin Arrest Warrant Redacted (Text)

Decordre Franklin Arrested in Connection with Shooting Death of Irving Jones Jr.

Penny Ray — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:07:38 -0400

A Northeast D.C. man has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of 33-year-old Irving Jones Jr.

Police found Jones suffering from a gunshot wound in the 600 block of Edgewood Street Northeast around 2 a.m. on March 30. He later died at the hospital.

Tuesday morning police arrested 37-year-old Decordre Franklin on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the case.

The MPD press release is below.

April 9, 2013

ARREST IN THE HOMICIDE: 600 BLOCK OF EDGEWOOD STREET, NORTHEAST

(Washington, DC) -- Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch announced today a suspect has been arrested in the fatal shooting which occurred in the 600 block of Edgewood Street, Northeast.

On Saturday, March 30, 2013, at approximately 2:09 am, patrol units from the Fifth District responded to the 600 block of Edgewood Street, Northeast for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent is identified as 33-YEAR-OLD IRVING JONES, JR. of Northeast, Washington, DC.

On Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at approximately 7:13 am, members from the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 37 YEAR-OLD DECORDRE FRANKLIN OF NORTHEAST, DC, pursuant to an arrest warrant and charged him with MURDER TWO WHILE ARMED in connection with the homicide of IRVING JONES, JR.