Khari Natron Williams | Homicide Watch DC

Widow: "This wasn't a stranger who shot him"

Imari Williams — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 12:55:06 -0500

A judge sentenced Don Demichie Page Jr. to 14 years in prison Thursday for the June 2013 shooting death of Quentin Lavar White.

Page pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed in October.

During a victim impact statement, White's widow said that Page had a relationship with White and he took more than one life that night.

"This wasn't a stranger who shot him," Brittani White told the court. "He knew him and I feel like when he killed one person, he took three lives." She added that she has two sons that won't ever see their father again.

At 12:45 a.m. police responded to a shooting in the 3500 block of East Capitol Street Southeast and found White suffering from a gunshot wound. He died at a hospital 35 minutes later. He was 28.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Bradford told the court that she had become familiar with Page while investigating the December 2012 death of Angelo Alphonso Payne. She said that Page had a great reputation in the community and this case took her by surprise.

"I was shocked," Bradford said.

Bradford argued that a neighborhood brawl initially started as a fist fight between White's friends and Page's friends. It began once someone yelled "Free Khari," Bradford said. At the time, it was alleged that Khari Williams had murdered Payne, according to Bradford.

"This should have stayed a fist fight, but Page went and got a gun and made the decision to take White's life," Bradford said.

Defense attorney Brandi Harden agreed with the government that "this did start out as a fist fight," but argued that Page was attempting to break up the fight, and wanted to scare White and his friends away. Page felt like they were "getting the best of his friend," Hardin said.

Page asked the White family to forgive him as he addressed the court: "It might be impossible, but I do ask for forgiveness."

At Sentencing, Khari Williams Asks Judge "To See Me as a Young Man Who Made Mistakes"

Kristian Hernandez — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 17:31:31 -0400

Judge John Ramsey Johnson sentenced Khari Natron Williams to 12 years in prison Friday for fatally shooting Angelo Alphonso Payne in Dec. 2012 because Williams believed Payne had stolen PCP from him, according to prosecutors.

Williams was 17 years old at the time of the shooting. He was arrested in Jan. 2013, and pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in April.

Payne was found unconscious in the 3400 Block of Croffut Place Southeast suffering from a gunshot wound. He later died at a hospital.

"I would like to own up to my mistakes," said Williams to Judge Johnson during the sentencing. "I am asking you to see me as a young man who made mistakes, and not as the bad man they've made me out to be."

Judge Johnson sentenced 19-year-old Williams under the Youth Rehabilitation Act meaning he was sentenced as a youth not as an adult, and has the opportunity to clear his conviction from his record after serving his sentence.

"I think you have so much in you that has promise," said Judge Johnson before delivering his sentence.

"I just want you to know that since I've lost my son things have never been the same," Payne's mother Jewel Payne told Judge Johnson during the sentencing hearing Friday, "I can't sleep I cant eat, he was my heart."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Bradford argued that Williams was selling PCP and carrying a loaded weapon at the time of the incident and asked Judge Johnson to sentence him as an adult.

"What this defendant did was decide to play judge and jury, when he shot [Payne] twice; once in the back of the head," said Bradford.

Bradford said that many people she spoke to during her investigation mentioned that Williams was a great football player and a good person."It's almost as if he was leading a double life," said Bradford.

Defense attorney Ieshaah Murphy said Williams was not living a "double life," and the incident was "unlike him."

"He saw selling drugs as a means of obtaining his financial needs," said Murphy. "He carried a weapon to address the insecurity he faced in his neighborhood.

Murphy asked Judge Johnson to sentence Williams to the minimum of 90 months, arguing that Williams was 17 years old when he shot Payne, that he took responsibility by pleading guilty, and has shown remorse for his actions.

Outside the courtroom, she explained that Payne had a kind heart and would always make people laugh. She said she wished the judge had given Williams more time.

Fighting back tears, Payne's mother held up a picture of her son and spoke about his aspirations.

"He wanted to be a father someday and he wanted to buy me a house," said Payne's mother.

Khari Williams Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter While Armed

Megan Arellano — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 18:07:43 -0400

Khari Williams pleaded guilty Friday to voluntary manslaughter while armed in the December 2012 shooting death of Angelo Payne.

He faces up to 30 years in prison for his charge.

In February 2013, Williams rejected a plea offer that would have given him a maximum of 18 years in prison on second-degree murder charges.

Police found 23-year-old Payne on December 30, 2012 on the 3400 block of Croffut Place Southeast, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

According to the proffer of facts, that night Williams walked toward an alley in the 3400 block of Croffut Place Southeast wearing a black open-face ski mask, a black Helly Hensen jacket, and black pants.

Plea documents state that in the alley, Williams found and confronted a man that he believed stole PCP from him: Payne.

Charging documents say witnesses told police that Williams led Payne into an alley to confront him and when Payne could not explain why the drugs were missing fast enough, Williams shot him. Police never found the weapon.

During the confrontation, Williams produced a gun and fired at least three times in the defendant's direction, documents state. One of those shots hit Payne in the back of the head and another hit him in the back of the torso, documents say.

At a preliminary hearing in February 2013, Metropolitan Police Detective Anthony McGee testified that one witness said Williams later talked about the shooting saying, “I mugged that n–. I shot that n–,” according to the witness.

Then, according to the plea documents, Williams "fled the location, walking back" to the 3400 block of Croffut Place Southeast. While he walked, Williams rolled his ski mask to the top of his head, revealing his face, documents say.

The sentencing is scheduled for March 21, 2014.

The full plea agreement is embedded below.

Williams, Khari Plea Documents (PDF)Williams, Khari Plea Documents (Text)

Khari Williams Indicted in Murder of Angelo Payne

Ivan Natividad — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 13:35:46 -0400

Khari Williams was arraigned Thursday on charges of first-degree murder while armed, and two related weapons offenses in connection with the shooting death of 23-year-old Angelo Payne. Williams pleaded innocent to all charges, and a status hearing has been scheduled for September 4.

Payne was found December 30, 2012 at around 12:00 a.m. on the 3400 block of Croffut Place Southeast, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Nine days later Williams, 18, was arrested, and held on suspicion of first-degree murder while armed in connection with Payne's death.

Charging documents state police arrested Williams after witnesses said he led Payne into an alley to confront him over PCP that Williams thought he had stolen. Witnesses in the case told police when Payne could not explain why the drugs were missing fast enough, Williams shot him. Police never found the weapon.

At a preliminary hearing in February, Metropolitan Police Detective Anthony McGee testified that one witness told police that Williams later talked about the shooting saying, "I mugged that n–. I shot that n–,” Williams said according to the witness.

Williams rejected a previous plea offer that would have gave him a maximum of 18 years in prison on a second-degree murder charge.

A copy of the indictment is below.

Khari Williams Indictment (PDF)Khari Williams Indictment (Text)

Judge Finds Substantial Probability in Case Against Khari Williams

Sam Pearson — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 18:30:45 -0500

Judge Lynn Leibovitz ordered Khari Williams held Friday on suspicion of first-degree murder while armed.

Leibovitz determined that there was substantial probability in the case against Williams, a student at Anacostia High School, is suspected of fatally shooting Angelo Payne Dec. 30.

According to charging documents in the case, police arrested Williams, 18, after witnesses said he led Payne into an alley to confront him over missing PCP.

Witnesses said Williams shot Payne when he could not explain the missing drugs quickly enough.

One witness said Williams wore all black the night of the murder, including a mask with a small cut-out for visibility.

On Friday, MPD Homicide Detective Anthony McGee testified about one witness who told police Williams later spoke of the crime.

"I mugged that n–," the witness said Williams said. "I shot that n–."

Williams said he "punished" Payne for stealing the drugs, according to witnesses, McGee testified.

Officers didn't recover the murder weapon from the crime scene. McGee, though, argued there was enough witness testimony to tie Williams to the crime.

Williams rejected a plea offer that would have given him a maximum of 18 years in prison on second-degree murder charges.

He's scheduled to return to court May 13 at 9:30 a.m. for a status hearing.

Khari Williams Arrested in Shooting Death of Angelo Payne

Vanya Mehta — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:54:32 -0500

Judge Karen Howze ordered Khari Williams held at D.C. Jail Wednesday, a day after police arrested him on suspicion of killing Angelo Payne Dec. 30. Williams is charged with Murder I while armed in connection with Payne's death.

Payne's homicide was the District's last murder of 2012.

Prosecutors say Williams, who turned 18 Wednesday, killed Payne because he believed Payne was responsible for two missing bottles of PCP. Police did not report Williams' name, saying that he was a juvenile.

According to court documents, Williams sold PCP to Payne at some point on Dec. 30, the day Payne was killed. Later that day, when Williams realized that two bottles were missing from his stock, he blamed Payne, court documents claim. Williams confronted Payne in an alley at the 3400 block of Crofutt Place Southeast, then shot him.

Williams' attorney, Dana Page, said Williams is a student at Anacostia High School and does not have previous adult charges.

Williams is due to return to court Jan. 18 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Lynn Leibovitz for a preliminary hearing.

A press release from the Metropolitan Police Department press about Williams' arrest is below.

January 9, 2013

Arrest in the Homicide: 3400 Block of Croffut Place, SE

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in the fatal shooting which occurred in the 3400 block of Croffut Place, SE.

On Sunday, December 30, 2012, at approximately 12:08 am members of the Sixth District responded to the 3400 block of Croffut Place, SE for the report of the sounds of gunshots. Upon arrival they discovered an unconscious 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 23-year-old Angelo Alphonso Payne of Southeast, Washington, DC.

On Tuesday, January 8, 2013, a male juvenile was arrested and charged with Murder One while Armed in connection with the fatal shooting of Angelo Alphonso Payne.