Derrick Phillip Thornton Jr. | Homicide Watch DC

"A sentence given to Deon is a sentence to us all"

Laura Amico — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:08:36 -0400

A remorseful Deon Thornton was sentenced today to seven and a half years in prison for the stabbing death of his brother, Derrick Thornton, in Adams Morgan in February.

Judge Gerald Fisher, who imposed the minimum sentence for the voluntary manslaughter charge, said that he had searched for ways to make the sentence less strict, but that there was nothing that would allow him to sentence Deon Thornton to less than the 90 months described in sentencing guidelines.

"We have a lot of cases that come before us that are indeed very tragic. But I can think of none more tragic than this," Fisher said in announcing his decision. "I know Deon Thornton will suffer for this for the rest of his life."

Thornton pleaded guilty 11 days after being presented with the charge and declined to review the evidence against him. In court he said that the government's belief that he stabbed his brother after they had been drinking and had an argument was correct.

Reading from a handwritten letter Friday, Deon Thornton apologized to his family: his grandmother, his daughter, his niece and sister-in-law, among other family members.

"I'm so so sorry," he said. "I'm missing my only best friend, Derrick. I spend nights crying about my brother."

The family gathered in Judge Gerald Fisher's courtroom on Friday morning did not separate into opposing camps as so often happens, one side for the victim, one side for the defendant. Instead they represented both victim and defendant, acknowledging that the pain they experienced in losing Derrick Thornton to murder was equal to the potential pain of lossing his brother, Deon Thornton, to prison.

"Derrick and Deon, our brothers, are gone from our sight," the men's cousin, Donnell Jones told the court. "One is dead. We buried his remains. One is alive. He remains in prison."

Thirty family members signed Jones' letter in support of Deon Thornton.

In addition to the 90 months in prison that Fisher sentenced Deon Thornton to, he mandated alcohol and mental health counseling, including anger management classes, and five years supervised release.

"A sentence given to Deon is a sentence given to us all," Jones said. "The crime is very serious and we accept responsibility as a family. How did we permit something like this to happen? Deon, we love you and we love Derrick."

Read the US Attorney's Office press release below:

Man Sentenced to 7 ½ Years in Prison In February 2011 Stabbing Death of His Brother
- Killing Followed an Argument That Started in Their Apartment -

WASHINGTON - Deon Thornton, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 7 ½ years in prison in connection with the recent stabbing death of his 22-year-old brother, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Thornton pled guilty in February 2011 to voluntary manslaughter while armed. He was sentenced in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by the Honorable Gerald I. Fisher. The judge also ordered the Thornton be placed on five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

The defendant lived with his brother, Derrick Thornton, in an apartment building in the 2200 block of Champlain Street NW. According to the government’s evidence, both brothers had been drinking alcohol during the evening of February 11, 2011 and got involved in a verbal argument inside their shared apartment.

At the plea hearing, Deon Thornton admitted that, following the verbal argument, he went to the lobby of the apartment building armed with a knife. In the lobby, Deon Thornton initiated a physical altercation with his brother. During this altercation, Deon Thornton stabbed his unarmed brother multiple times in the chest with the knife.

Shortly thereafter, Deon Thornton fled the scene. Derrick Thornton was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead approximately one hour later.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), including Homicide Detectives Robert Arrington and Dwayne Partman. He also commended Paralegal Specialist Phaylyn Hunt and Victim Witness Advocate Marcey Rinker. Finally, he commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda A. Williams, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Deon Thornton Pleads Guilty to Fatally Stabbing Brother in Adams Morgan

Laura Amico — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:12:24 -0500

Updated with a copy of the plea agreement at 4:27 p.m.

Deon Thornton pleaded guilty this morning to fatally stabbing his older brother in the lobby of an Adams Morgan apartment building earlier this month.

Thornton, 21, was due in court today for a preliminary hearing in the case. Instead he agreed to plea guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed, a charge that could earn him up to thirty years in prison.

Prosecutors had alleged that Thornton and his brother Derrick Thornton had been drinking on Feb. 11 at the Champlain Street, NW apartment where they both lived when they got into an argument. Later, as Derrick Thornton spoke with two people in the apartment building's lobby, Deon Thornton approached him with a knife, ultimately throwing the mens' grandmother out of the way in order to better reach Derrick Thornton and stab him.

Derrick Thornton, 22, died that same night after being stabbed multiple times in the chest, including a wound to his heart, according to court documents.

Asked by Judge Gerald Fisher if the government's telling of the incident was correct, Deon Thornton replied "yes."

Thornton is due in court for sentencing April 29. His sentence could range from probation to 30 years imprisonment, Fisher said.

Charging documents in the case are here.

An early copy of the plea agreement is below. A copy with signatures will replace this one as soon as it is available.

Charging Docs in AdMo Fraticide: "he stabbed his brother a few times... but was not sure if his brother was alive."

Laura Amico — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:37:52 -0500

Sometime before 7:41 p.m. Friday, court documents say, 21-year-old Deon Thornton began a fight with his older brother, Derrick, in the lobby of the Adams Morgan apartment building where they both lived.

A witness to the assault stepped in between the men and tried to separate them, but Deon Thornton allegedly reached around the witness to stab his brother multiple times with a knife, and the witness was flung to the ground.

Deon Thornton will appear in court on Feb. 23 for a preliminary hearing, accused of stabbing his brother Derrick to death.

According to the charging documents, Derrick Thornton appeared to be unarmed and was attempting to defend himself from the attack with his hands. He suffered multiple stab wound to his upper torso, including a wound to his heart.

Deon Thornton was detained by police in Prince George's County on Friday evening, after a witness there called police and told them that Thornton was coming over and the witness believed that Thornton had harmed his brother.

Thornton told D.C. Metro Police that "he stabbed his brother a few times... but was not sure if his brother was alive."

One Brother Killed, Another Arrested in Adams Morgan Stabbing

Laura Amico — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 12:51:52 -0500

A fight between brothers on Friday night left one man dead in Adams Morgan and another behind bars at D.C. Jail.

Metro Police said Saturday morning that 22-year-old Derrick Phillip Thornton, Jr. died Friday night at a local hospital after being stabbed in the 2200 block of Champlain Street, NW, where he lived.

Deon Eugene Thornton, 21, of Northwest, DC, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in Derrick Thornton Jr.'s death.

A message from Councilman Jim Grahamon the Adams Morgan Listserve Saturday morning indicated that the men were brothers and Metro Police stated that the stabbing was "domestic in nature."

Metro PD's press release follows after the jump.

February 12, 2011

Arrest Made in Homicide in the 2200 block of Champlain Street, NW

(Washington, DC) — Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch announced today an arrest has been made in a homicide that occurred in the 2200 block of Champlain Street, NW.

On Friday, February 11, 2011 at approximately 7:40 pm members of the Third District responded to 2200 block of Champlain Street, N.W. for the report of a stabbing. Upon arrival on the scene, officers discovered an adult male suffering from stab wounds. He transported to a local hospital where he later died.

The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Derrick Phillip Thornton, Jr. of the 2200 block of Champlain Street, NW.

Preliminary investigation reveals the stabbing was domestic in nature. Arrested was 21-year-old Deon Eugene Thornton of Northwest, DC. He has been charged with Murder Two While Armed.