Darryl Eugene Sweet Sr. | Homicide Watch DC

Lloyd Bright Sentenced to More Than 7 Years for Darryl Sweet Murder

Ivan Natividad — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 11:27:25 -0400

Judge Herbert Dixon sentenced Lloyd Bright to seven and a half years in prison Friday in connection with the 2012 death of 61-year-old Darryl Eugene Sweet.

"We can talk about this being an accident, this being not intended," Dixon said. "But it is compounded by the fact that you have killed somebody before."

Bright had been previously convicted for voluntary manslaughter in a different case prior to Sweet's death. At sentencing Friday Bright appeared remorseful and apologetic.

"I feel real bad about the whole situation. I liked Darryl," Bright said. "I accept total responsibility for what happened."

Sweet was found by police on July 26, 2012 at approximately 10:06 p.m. on the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue Northeast unconscious and unresponsive. He was transported to a local hospital where it was determined that he was suffering from an internal head wound; Sweet died the next day from blunt force trauma to the head. His death was ruled a homicide. Two months later Bright, 45, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

In August, Bright pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with Sweet's death. In exchange prosecutors dropped the initial charge of second-degree murder and recommended a sentence anywhere from six to eight years in prison. In entering his plea, Bright said he and Sweet were both on drugs at the time of the incident and that he didn’t know that Sweet had died until the next day.

Plea documents state that surveillance video captured Bright approaching Sweet in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, then Sweet lying on the sidewalk. Bright told detectives that he and Sweet were having an argument moments before he hit Sweet with an open hand, causing Sweet to fall.

Sentence documents have been added to this post below.

Lloyd Bright Sentencing Doc (PDF)Lloyd Bright Sentencing Doc (Text)

Lloyd Bright Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter for Darryl Sweet Sr. Death

Megan Arellano — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 18:12:02 -0400

Lloyd Bright pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter Monday in connection with the death of 61-year-old Darryl Eugene Sweet Sr. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop the initial charge of second-degree murder and will recommend Bright serve a sentence of 6 to 8 years in prison.

At the hearing Monday, Bright said he didn't know Sweet had died until the day after their altercation, and that he wanted to take responsibility for his actions.

"I was like, whoa, dead?" Bright told the court. "I didn't even know that. I went through a whole lot of stress over this."

Medical personnel found Sweet unconscious and unresponsive in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue Northeast on July 26, 2012. Sweet died the following day and a medical examiner determined his cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head.

According to the proffer of facts, surveillance video from the scene of the incident captured Bright approaching Sweet in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue NE and then Sweet lying on the sidewalk. A witness to the event told authorities that Bright and Sweet had argued over money, and that Bright had punched Sweet.

Bright was arrested Oct. 5, 2012, and told police that he and Sweet were having an argument when he hit Sweet once with an open hand, causing him to fall onto the sidewalk.

In entering his guilty plea Monday, Bright explained to Judge Herbert Dixon that both he and Sweet were on drugs at the time of the incident. Bright also said that he slapped Sweet and then ran away, but didn't know that Sweet had died until the next day.

Bright is scheduled to be sentenced on October 25.

Plea documents have been added to this post below.

Bright, Lloyd Plea Documents (PDF)Bright, Lloyd Plea Documents (Text)

Lloyd Bright Indicted in Death of Darryl Sweet

Penny Ray — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 15:32:13 -0400

Lloyd Bright was arraigned Tuesday on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the death of 61-year-old Darryl Eugene Sweet Sr. Bright pleaded innocent to the charge and a trial date has been scheduled for April 2014.

On July 26, 2012, Sweet was found unconscious in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue Northeast; he was taken to a hospital where doctors determined he had suffered an internal head wound. Sweet died the next day; a medical examiner determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head and ruled the manner of death a homicide.

In a preliminary hearing last year, prosecutors showed surveillance video recorded July 26 in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue NE. The footage is poor quality, but prosecutors say it shows Bright, 45, hitting Sweet and Sweet then falling to the ground.

Prosecutors say Bright and Sweet were arguing over money that Sweet owed to someone else and that Bright hit Sweet because he felt like Sweet was disrespecting him.

Janet Mitchell, Bright's defense attorney, argued that Bright slapped Sweet with an open palm and couldn’t have known that slapping him once would cause him to fall to the ground, hit his head and, ultimately, die.

The case is scheduled for a status hearing in March 2014.

The indictment is below.

Lloyd Bright Indictment (PDF)Lloyd Bright Indictment (Text)

Judge Finds Probable Cause for Second-Degree Murder Charge Against Lloyd Bright

Jonah Newman — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 17:25:56 -0500

Judge Thomas Motley ruled Tuesday that there was "barely" probable cause to send the second-degree murder case against Lloyd Bright to a Grand Jury.

Bright is suspected of killing Darryl Eugene Sweet, Sr., in July.

"I find, barely, probable cause, but that's the bare bones, counselor," Motley told Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Bradford Tuesday.

"[But] there's no way in the world I would find it beyond a reasonable doubt," he added, referring to the legal level of certainty required to convict someone of a crime.

In the preliminary hearing, which began Monday, prosecutors showed surveillance tape from outside Minnesota Seafood, 3847 Minnesota Avenue, N.E., from the night of July 26, 2012. The footage is poor quality and at times goes completely white, but prosecutors say it shows Bright hitting Sweet and Sweet falling to the ground.

An initial report from the medical examiner determined that Sweet died of blunt force trauma to the head and ruled the manner of death a homicide.

Prosecutors say Bright and Sweet were arguing over money that Sweet owed to someone else and that Bright hit Sweet because he felt like Sweet was disrespecting him, and that he intended to cause injury.

But defense attorney Janet Mitchell argued that Bright slapped Sweet with an open palm and that he couldn't have known that slapping him once would cause him to fall to the ground, hit his head and, ultimately, die.

It's unclear from the video footage whether Bright slapped Sweet with an open palm or hit him with the more intense force of a closed fist.

To be convicted of second-degree murder, the government must prove that a person acted with intent to cause death or serious bodily injury or conscious disregard of the extreme risk of death or serious bodily injury.

The government is still waiting for final autopsy results from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which will include a toxicology report. Prosectors allege that both Bright and Sweet were intoxicated the night of the altercation.

The government offered Bright a plea deal, but he has declined it. A status hearing for Bright has been scheduled for Jan. 25 at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Herbert Dixon Jr.

Sam Pearson contributed reporting.

Police Looking for Person of Interest in Darryl Sweet's Death

Chris Amico — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 01:30:42 -0400

MPD is seeking the public's help in identifying the man in this video, who is a person of interest in the death of Darryl Eugene Sweet, Sr.

Sweet, 61, was found unconscious and unresponsive on July 26 suffering from "an internal head wound," according to police reports.

Person of Interest Sought in Homicide in the 3800 block of Minnesota Ave, NE.

(Washington, DC) – The Metropolitan Police Department seeks the public's assistance in identifying a person of interest in connection to the homicide of Darryl Sweet, which occurred in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE. The person of interest is shown in this video http://youtu.be/nZRPClMtRMY

On Thursday, July 26, 2012, at approximately 10:06 pm, DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE for the report of an intoxicated male. Upon arrival, they located an adult male unconscious and unresponsive. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to an area hospital where he was admitted. Detectives from the Homicide Branch responded to the hospital to investigate where it was determined the adult male was suffering from an internal head wound. On Friday, July 27, 2012, he was pronounced dead.

The decedent has been identified as 61-year-old Darryl Eugene Sweet Sr. of Southeast, Washington, DC. The decedent’s remains were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner where an autopsy was performed. The death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma to the head.

The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons wanted for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.

Note: MPD issued a new press release correcting the video link. The corrected video has replaced the initial video in this post.

Homicide Determined in Death of 61-Year-Old DC Man with Head Injuries

Laura Amico — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 23:30:04 -0400

A 61-year-old Southeast DC man found unconscious Thursday night has died of his injuries and MPD has ruled his death a homicide.

In a press release issued Saturday night, MPD said the man, Darryl Eugene Sweet Sr., was found in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE by officers responding to a call for an intoxicated male. Sweet was unconscious and unresponsive. He was taken to a hospital where doctors determined that he had suffered an internal head wound. He was pronounced dead on Friday.

In an autopsy his fatal injuries were characterized as blunt force trauma to the head.

A press release from MPD is below.

July 28, 2012

Homicide: 3800 Block of Minnesota Avenue, NE

(Washington, DC)- Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE.

On Thursday, July 26, 2012, at approximately 10:06 pm, DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE for the report of an intoxicated male. Upon arrival, they located an adult male unconscious and unresponsive. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to an area hospital where he was admitted. Detectives from the Homicide Branch responded to the hospital to investigate where it was determined the adult male was suffering from an internal head wound. On Friday, July 27, 2012, the adult male was pronounced dead.

The decedent has been identified as 61-year-old Darryl Eugene Sweet Sr. of Southeast, Washington, DC.

The decedent’s remains were transported to The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner where an autopsy was performed. The death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma to the head.

The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons wanted for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.