Judge Sentences Remorseful Homicide Defendant to 20 Years

Thank you for reading D.C. Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo sentenced a homicide defendant to 20 years for his involvement in a 2022 murder, during a hearing on May 29.

Travon Diggs, 30, was originally charged with premeditated first-degree murder and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in the fatal shooting of Junior Lee Johnson, 45, on May 2, 2022, on the 1600 block of Benning Road, NE.

Diggs shot Johnson multiple times when he was walking away from him on the street. Shortly after, Diggs sped home in a rental car.

On March 19, Diggs accepted a plea deal, which required him to plead guilty to second-degree murder while armed in exchange for a dismissal of all other charges. Through the deal, parties agreed to a sentencing range of 14-to-20 years of imprisonment.

At the hearing, Johnson’s son, older sister, and niece delivered impact statements. They addressed the effect that Johnson’s death has had on their family, as well as the unanswered questions they have been left to wonder.

“I just want to know why?” said his sister, adding “My brother was a good brother, he was a good person.”

“We just want justice, that’s all,” Johnson’s sister told Judge Demeo.

The prosecution argued that the defendant should not be granted even more “leniency” in sentencing, given that he accepted an already generous plea deal.

Additionally, the prosecution stated that the incident occurred over a “trivial family dispute” and Diggs purposely looked for Johnson, shooting him “in point blank range.”

“It’s just a terrible, terrible crime. The worst one can commit in the city,” stated the prosecution.

However, Errin Scialpi, Diggs’ defense attorney, said her client has had “a very difficult time” processing the incident and “does not have the coping mechanisms” necessary to do so. She emphasized Diggs’ traumatic family dynamic and untreated mental health problems, including bipolar disorder, ADHD, depression, and anxiety.

Scialpi claimed that a significant influence on her client has been the presence of “fear and paranoia that he has experienced his whole life.”

Furthermore, Scialpi admitted the incident “is tragic for [Johnson’s] family,” but asserted, “it is tragic for Mr. Diggs that he has had a difficult upbringing.”

She read an apology letter written by Diggs, in which he wrote “I don’t know how to express how I feel about this situation because someone lost their life.” He admitted his regrets about what happened that day and took responsibility for his actions.

In response, Johnson’s niece expressed on WebEx, “He’s not sorry. He can read his own letter.”

Ultimately, Judge Demeo cited the serious and violent nature of the crime, Diggs’ mental health diagnoses, and the defendant’s criminal record in deciding Diggs’ sentencing term.

A “significant jail sentence is appropriate,” stated Judge Demeo, as she imposed the 20 year sentence, also highlighting that the sentence should reflect just punishment and adequate deterrence.

Judge Demeo ordered Johnson to participate in substance abuse and mental health treatment, as well as anger management.