Marcus McLean | Homicide Watch DC

Marcus Mclean Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison

Rebecca Zisser — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 15:13:55 -0400

Marcus Mclean was sentenced Friday to 24 years in prison for the stabbing death of Delando King.

Mclean pled guilty in April to one count second-degree murder while armed.

In a sworn statement he admitted to going with King to King's apartment early in the morning of Aug. 8, 2010 to have sex. But once inside the apartment, and with King undressed, he stabbed King more than two dozen times with a kitchen knife, threw bleach on King's body, and stole the man's wallet, credit card, i-pod, laptop computer, and a bag. He used the credit card to purchase refreshments, clothes, and see a movie before being arrested about six days later.

"I really don't know what to say to make [King's family] happy or to change anything," Mclean said at sentencing Friday. "I'm immensely ill and I really need help."

"Please help me," he asked Judge Robert Morin.

Prosecutors in the case asked Morin to sentence Mclean to 28 years in prison for King's murder.

Morin's sentence of 24 years is less time than the government's request. Morin said the arguments of prosecutors and defense attorneys balanced one another out and did not tip the scales in favor of the greater punishment.

"I think the government does have a strong argument for the court to consider and that's balanced by the defense's," he said.

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

District Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison In 2010 Murder in Northwest Washington - Victim Was Brutally Stabbed in His Apartment -

WASHINGTON - Marcus Mclean, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 24 years in prison on a charge of second-degree murder while armed stemming from a stabbing that took place at an apartment in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Mclean pled guilty in April 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert E. Morin. The 24-year prison term represents the maximum under the court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines for the offense. Upon completion of his prison term, Mclean will be placed on five years of supervised release.

The government’s evidence showed that, on Aug. 8, 2010, Mclean met the victim, Delando King, who was gay, at a local bar. At about 3 a.m., the men walked together from a bar in downtown Washington to Mr. King’s apartment in the 1100 block of 10th Street NW.

Once inside Mr. King’s apartment, Mclean armed himself with a large butcher knife and stabbed Mr. King so that he was incapable of defending himself. Mclean then continued to stab Mr. King repeatedly, inflicting a total of 28 stab wounds to the body, including six that penetrated Mr. King’s heart. Mclean also inflicted multiple cuts to the arms, hands, and legs of Mr. King. As a direct result of these wounds, Mr. King died.

Mr. King, 34, originally from New Mexico and a member of the Navajo Nation, was an employee of the U.S. Indian Health Service at the time of his death.

Mclean suffered no injuries in the violent assault. After stabbing Mr. King to death, Mclean poured bleach on the body and attempted to the clean the crime scene. He took items of property from Mr. King, including his wallet, credit card, an iPod, and a laptop computer. Mclean used Mr. King’s credit card within an hour after the murder to purchase refreshments at a local CVS store. Over the next 36 hours, before Mr. King’s body was found, Mclean used the credit card to see a movie and purchase clothes and food. Mclean gave the iPod to his sister.

Multiple surveillance videos captured Mclean with Mr. King shortly before the murder, and captured Mclean using the credit card in various establishments in D.C. and Maryland shortly after the murder.

Since the fall of 2011, Mclean attempted to raise multiple self-defense and mental health claims, to include insanity. Mclean was found criminally responsible and sane at the time of the murder by Court and government experts.

As part of his plea, Mclean admitted that Mr. King did not threaten, harm, or assault him prior to or during the murder, and that Mclean did not act in self-defense. Mclean further admitted that he was sane at the time of the murder and that he acted willfully, intentionally, and voluntarily when he stabbed Mr. King to death.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the efforts of the Metropolitan Police Department detectives and officers who were involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case, including members of MPD’s Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit.

U.S. Attorney Machen also cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including paralegal Kelly Blakeney and victim advocate Marcey Rinker. He also thanked Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Kennedy, and paralegal Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie, who assisted with the mental health issues raised by the defense; Assistant U.S. Attorney J.P. Cooney, who assisted with preparation of the case for trial, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kerkhoff, who investigated and prosecuted this case.

Guilty Plea in NW DC Stabbing Death of Delando King

Laura Amico — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:01:53 -0400

Marcus McLean pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of second-degree murder while armed in the stabbing death of Delando King in Northwest DC.

According to McLean's statement, he and King went to King's apartment early in the morning of Aug. 8, 2010 to have sex. Once King undressed, McLean, armed with a butcher-style kitchen knife, stabbed King more than two dozen times, then threw bleach on King's body. McLean then took King's wallet, credit card, i-pod, laptop computer, and a bag. He used the credit card to purchase refreshments, clothes, and see a movie before being arrested about six days later.

McLean was arraigned in March 2011 on charges including felony murder while armed, first-degree murder while armed, robbery while armed and first degree theft while armed. A trial was set for this month.

According to the terms of the plea deal, McLean could be sentenced to 24 to 28 years in prison on the charge of second-degree murder while armed. The maximum sentence for that crime is 40 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 13.

The plea agreement, and McLean's statement, is below.

Update 4:19 p.m. The US Attorney's Office has issued the following press release in connection with this case:

District Man Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Murder While Armed
In 2010 Stabbing in Northwest Washington
- Victim Was Brutally Attacked in His Apartment -

WASHINGTON - Marcus Mclean, 25, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to a charge of second-degree murder while armed in a stabbing that took place in August 2010 at an apartment in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.

Mclean pled guilty on April 18, 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Under the plea agreement, subject to the Court’s approval, he faces a sentence of not less than 24 years and not more than 28 years of incarceration, which is above the D.C. sentencing guidelines for this charge. The Honorable Robert E. Morin scheduled sentencing for July 13, 2012.

The government’s evidence showed that, on August 8, 2010, Mclean met the victim, Delando King, who was gay, at a local bar. At about 3 a.m., the men walked together from a bar in downtown Washington to Mr. King’s apartment in the 1100 block of 10th Street NW.

Once inside Mr. King’s apartment, Mclean armed himself with a large butcher knife and stabbed Mr. King so that he was incapable of defending himself. Mclean then continued to stab Mr. King repeatedly, inflicting a total of 28 stab wounds to the body, including six that penetrated Mr. King’s heart. Mclean also inflicted multiple cuts to the arms, hands, and legs of Mr. King. As a direct result of these wounds, Mr. King died.

Mr. King, 34, originally from New Mexico and a member of the Navajo Nation, was an employee of the U.S. Indian Health Service at the time of his death.

Mclean suffered no injuries in the violent assault. After stabbing Mr. King to death, Mclean poured bleach on the body and attempted to the clean the crime scene. He took items of property from Mr. King, including his wallet, credit card, an iPod, and a laptop computer. Mclean used Mr. King’s credit card within an hour after the murder to purchase refreshments at a local CVS store. Over the next 36 hours, before Mr. King’s body was found, Mclean used the credit card to see a movie and purchase clothes and food. Mclean gave the iPod to his sister.

Multiple surveillance videos captured Mclean with Mr. King shortly before the murder, and captured Mclean using the credit card in various establishments in D.C. and Maryland shortly after the murder.

Since the fall of 2011, Mclean attempted to raise multiple self-defense and mental health claims, to include insanity. Mclean was found criminally responsible and sane at the time of the murder by Court and government experts. The case was scheduled for trial on April 24, 2012.

As part of his plea, Mclean admitted that Mr. King did not threaten, harm, or assault him prior to or during the murder, and that Mclean did not act in self-defense. Mclean further admitted that he was sane at the time of the murder and that he acted willfully, intentionally, and voluntarily when he stabbed Mr. King to death.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the efforts of the Metropolitan Police Department officers who were involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case, including Detectives Brian Wise, Hosam Nasr, Jed Worrell, Thomas Austin-Braxton, Kennis Weeks, and Lee Littlejohn; Officers Matt Romeo, Reginald Tolbert, and Michael Mocca; Crime Scene Officers George Klein, John Holder, James Holder, Michael DePrince, Julius Smith, and Jay Gregory; and members of MPD’s Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit, including Officers Justin Markiewicz and Zunnobia Hakir.

U.S. Attorney Machen also cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including paralegal Kelly Blakeney and victim advocate Marcey Rinker. He also thanked Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Kennedy, and paralegal Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie, who assisted with the mental health issues raised by the defense; Assistant U.S. Attorney J.P. Cooney, who assisted with preparation of the case for trial, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kerkhoff, who investigated and prosecuted this case.

Marcus McLean Pleads Innocent in Death of Delando King

Laura Amico — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:47:29 -0400

Marcus McLean pleaded innocent today in the stabbing death of Delando King, a gay D.C. man, on Aug. 8 at King’s apartment in the 1100 block of 10th Street Northwest.

His plea followed his formal arraignment on murder charges including felony murder while armed, first-degree murder while armed, robbery while armed and first degree theft while armed.

A felony status conference date is set in the case for May 12 and a jury trial is expected to begin on Nov. 7.

DNA Analysis in Slaying of Delando King Could take until August

Laura Amico — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:51:37 -0500

A full DNA analysis in the murder case against Marcus McLean could take a further seven months, pushing a trial date in the case to the end of this year.

McLean, 24, is alleged to be responsible for the stabbing death of Delando King, a gay D.C. man, on Aug. 8 at King's apartment in the 1100 block of 10th Street Northwest.

In a felony status conference today Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kerkhoff told Judge Gerald Fisher that DNA analysis in the case is delaying an indictment by the grand jury and that it could be until August before an indictment is handed up.

McLean has been in custody since his arrest on Aug. 14, 2010.