Donald Crosland | Homicide Watch DC

Judge Imposes Maximum Sentences for Shooting Death of SE DC Teen

Laura Amico — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:03:04 -0500

Judge Thomas Motley this afternoon imposed the maximum penalties possible under sentencing guidelines on Kevin Clark and Donald Crosland, both of whom pleaded guilty to killing teen Ricardo Minger in a Southeast DC apartment in January 2011.

"Everybody makes mistakes," Clark said at sentencing. "Sometimes you fall down and scrape your knee. Sometimes you bump your head. I'll be sorry forever. I didn't have a right to take a life 'cause I never brought life into this world."

Clark and Crosland pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed in September 2011, saying that they both shot at Minger, who was at Clark's girlfriend's home. Crosland said Minger had pistol-whipped him in a robbery and shot at a friend of his.

When Clark and Crosland arrived at the girlfriend's home and saw Minger there, they pulled out revolvers and shot at him, striking him five times including in the face and abdomen. Minger, 17, was identified by his fingerprints. Prosecutor Jeff Pearlman said Minger was unarmed when he was killed.

"What happened in that apartment was a horror show," Pearlman said.

Clark's attorney, Madalyn Harvey, disagreed.

"This was not a brutal killing," she said. "This was spontaneous. If this case had gone to trial, there would have been serious doubts about what prompted Mr. Clark to act in this manner. The court has to focus on the conduct of (Minger). There are strong mitigations here."

Clark and Crosland were arrested in January and February 2011, respectively, each on suspicion of first-degree murder. They were 23 and 17 years old. They each pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed in September 2011.

On Friday Motley sentenced Clark to 17 years in prison and Crosland to 14 years in prison. Clark's sentence was longer because he has a criminal history, but each of the sentences was the maximum mandated by sentencing guidelines.

"Every human life has value," Motley said. "Even the decedent who had problems or trouble, he could have turned his life around. He has no opportunity [to do that now]."

Crosland, who will turn 18 years old on Saturday, addressed Minger's mother, who was present for the sentencing.

"I'm very sorry for what happened," he said. "I feel bad for what happened. I feel terrible for what happened. I put that grief there and I'm sorry."

Kevin Clark, Donald Crosland Plead Guilty in Death of Ricardo Minger

Laura Amico — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:59:26 -0400

Kevin Clark and Donald Crosland today pleaded guilty to charges that they shot and killed 17-year-old Ricardo Minger in a Southeast D.C. apartment in January.

Clark, 23, and Crosland, 17, could be sentenced to five to thirty years in prison for the crime.

The voluntary manslaughter plea is a significant reduction from the first-degree murder charge they were each indicted on in June.

Minger, a 17-year-old resident of Southeast D.C., was shot in the face and abdomen Jan. 7 in an apartment in Southeast D.C. He was identified by his fingerprints, according to court documents in the case against Clark.

Crosland, known to friends as "D," is alleged to have shot at Minger at the same time as Clark the night that Minger was killed.

According to charging documents in the case,

[Witness 1] observed [Clark] walk to the balcony window of the apartment and look out the balcony door. [The witness] then observed [Clark] take out a revolver style handgun that was silver with a brown handle. At the same time, [the witness] observed [Crosland] with his hands in the waistband and him also produce a revolver style handgun. Then, [the witness] observed [Clark] and [Crosland] repeatedly shoot [Minger] at close range.

Four bullets and fragments were recovered from the crime scene and Minger's autopsy, two were determined to have been shot from the same gun, but the remaining two bullets were "too damaged" to evaluate what gun had shot them, court records state.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 7.

Read a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office below.

Two Plead Guilty to Charges In January 2011 Slaying of District Teenager

WASHINGTON - Kevin Clark, 23, and Donald Crosland, 17, pled guilty today to voluntary manslaughter and weapons charges in a killing that took place earlier this year in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Clark, of Washington, D.C., and Crosland, of Suitland, Md., appeared in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Thomas J. Motley scheduled sentencing for December 7, 2011. They face at least five years and up to 30 years in prison.

According to the government’s evidence, on January 7, 2011, at about 9:50 p.m., the defendants entered an apartment in the 5300 block of E Street SE, where they encountered the victim, Ricardo Minger, 17. Both defendants, armed with firearms, shot Minger multiple times, and he subsequently died from his injuries.

In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Violent Crimes Branch, along with MPD Detectives Ray Shields and William Covington, and the Mobile Crime Branch, including William Hyatt. U.S. Attorney Machen also praised the work of paralegal Fern
Rhedrick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Pearlman, who investigated and indicted the case.

Week Ahead

Laura Amico — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:54:18 -0400

Each Friday, 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.

Monday
Kevin Clark and Donald Crosland are expected for a status hearing with Judge Thomas Motley. They are suspected in the fatal shooting of Ricardo Minger in Southeast D.C. on Jan. 7, 2011. A trial date has been set in the case for Oct. 17.

Tuesday
Charles Coates is expected for a status hearing with Judge Gerald Fisher in a felony murder while armed case. Coates is suspected in the shooting death of his cousin, Eddie Leonard Jr. in February 2011. The case has not yet been indicted.

Wednesday
Jerome Bailey is expected for a status hearing with Judge Lynn Leibovitz in a first-degree murder case. Bailey pleaded innocent to the charge at his arraignment last month, but was granted additional time to consider a plea offer from the government. Bailey is suspected in the death of Rico Matthews, who was shot to death Nov. 5, 2011.

Katrell Henry is also expected for a status hearing with Judge Leibovitz on Wednesday. Henry is suspected in the shooting death of Laroy Bryant on Nov. 1, 2010. A jury trial is scheduled for Oct. 24.

Please remember that court dates can change, even at the last minute. To view the docket of a case please go to the D.C. Courts website and search by the defendant’s name.

1st Degree Murder Indictment in Death of Ricardo Minger

Laura Amico — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:29:22 -0400

Kevin L Clark and Donald Crosland were arraigned today on one charge each of first degree murder for the shooting death of Ricardo Vondell Minger in a SE DC apartment in January.

Minger was 17 years old.

Clark and Crossland both pleaded not guilty to the charges today. A jury trial is scheduled to begin in October. The men are each also charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Read the indictment after the jump.

Donald Crosland Ordered Held in Death of Ricardo Minger

Laura Amico — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:10:05 -0400

Judge Thomas Motley this afternoon ordered 17-year-old Donald Crosland held in the death of Ricardo Minger after finding substantial probability that the teen was "the second shooter" in the case.

Crosland is suspected of second-degree murder while armed in Minger's Jan. 7 death inside a Southeast D.C. apartment. Kevin Clark, Crosland's codefendant, is also being held and is suspected of premeditated first-degree murder while armed.

A tentative trial date of Oct. 17. has been set in the case.

Crosland turned himself in to authorities on February 26, about two weeks after a warrant was issued for his arrest, MPD Detective Ray Shields, the lead investigator in the case, testified at the preliminary hearing Friday.

Defense attorney Dennis Braddock said Crosland "takes this very seriously," to which the teen nodded. Braddock's appeal for Crosland's release, on the grounds that he "has never been in trouble with the law in his life," failed, however, appearing to disappoint the teen, who threw his head back in frustration at Motley's decision.

Crosland's father said his son has been assaulted while in detention. On Monday Motley signed a separation order mandating that Crosland be kept apart from three individuals at all times.

Trial Date Set for Ricardo Minger Murder Case

Laura Amico — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:25:27 -0400

Judge Thomas Motley today set a tentative date for the two men accused of killing Ricardo Minger to stand trial, despite the fact that neither man has been indicted and one has not yet had a preliminary hearing.

On Friday both the government prosecutor and Donald Crosland's attorney suggested that Motley postpone Crosland's preliminary hearing. Motley agreed, then insisted attorneys agree to a tentative trial date to expedite the proceedings. Kevin Clark's attorney, Madalyn Harvey, vehemently opposed Motley's desire to set a date, telling the court that without even an indictment in the case, she had no idea how much time was needed to prepare for trial.

Despite Harvey's objection, she agreed to a tentative trial date of Oct. 17.

Crosland's preliminary hearing, scheduled for Friday, was postponed to April 8 at 2 p.m. It was the second time the preliminary hearing has been rescheduled.

Preliminary Hearing in Ricardo Minger Case Delayed

Laura Amico — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:08:51 -0400

Donald Crosland's preliminary hearing on first degree murder charges was postponed today so that the hearing can take place the same day as a felony status conference for Crosland's co-defendant in the case, Kevin Clark.

Both men are suspected in the shooting death of Ricardo Minger.

The hearing is now scheduled for Friday, March 25 in front of Judge Thomas Motley.

Suspect in Death of Ricardo Minger Told Cops he Fired Fatal Shots

Laura Amico — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:06:46 -0500

Updated 2:48 p.m. with charging documents

Donald Crosland, charged yesterday with first degree murder while armed in the death of teen Ricardo Minger, told homicide detectives this week that he had fired the fatal shots.

Crosland, 17, is the second person charged in the shooting. A murder charge against Kevin Clark for Minger's death is pending grand jury indictment.

Crosland, known to friends as "D," is alleged to have shot at Minger at the same time as Clark the night that Minger was killed.

According to charging documents,

[Witness 1] observed [Clark] walk to the balcony window of the apartment and look out the balcony door. [The witness] then observed [Clark] take out a revolver style handgun that was silver with a brown handle. At the same time, [the witness] observed [Crosland] with his hands in the waistband and him also produce a revolver style handgun. Then, [the witness] observed [Clark] and [Crosland] repeatedly shoot [Minger] at close range.

Crosland is due in court March 16 for a preliminary hearing. According to a Supplement to the Arrest Warrant, filed Wednesday, Crossland "admitted... that back on January 7, 2011 while inside apartment 2 of 5330 E Street SE he fired multiple shots at the decedent."

Charging documents in the case are below.

Second Person Arrested on Suspicion of Killing Teen Ricardo Minger

Laura Amico — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:46:36 -0500

A second person has been arrested in the January shooting death of 17-year-old Ricardo Vondell Minger, the Washington Post reports.

According to the report, 17-year-old Donald Crosland turned himself into police Wednesday.

Crosland was presented with a first-degree murder charge this afternoon and is expected in court March 16 for a preliminary hearing in the case.

Also charged in Minger's death is 23-year-old Kevin Lamont Clark, whose case is pending grand jury indictment.