‘You Cannot Get Yourself Under Control,’ Judge Says to Stabbing Defendant

By Maggie Rhoads [former] - July 29, 2024
Daily Stories | Documents | stabbing | Suspects |

DC Superior Court Judge Heidi Pasichow sentenced a stabbing defendant to four years in prison on July 26.

On May 13, Carlton Warren, 59, accepted an offer from the prosecution, which required him to  plead guilty to aggravated assault knowingly while armed for his involvement in a stabbing on Oct. 24, 2023, at the intersection of 34th Street and Wisconsin Avenue, NW, while on a Metro bus. One victim sustained life-threatening injuries during the incident. 

In exchange for his guilty plea, the prosecution agreed to not seek an indictment on greater charges. 

According to court documents, Warren stabbed the victim after getting into a verbal argument leading to a punctured lung, punctured diaphragm and a laceration to his spleen which required emergency surgery.

During the hearing, the prosecution requested Judge Pasichow sentence Warren to five years in prison to reflect the “seriousness” of his crime. They also argued there is a “need to protect the community” since Warren did not know the victim before the incident. 

Warren’s defense attorney, Howard McEachern, said Warren attacked the victim after he called him the “n-word” and was defending himself. McEachern requested Warren serve two years in prison.  

In his statement to the court, Warren apologized to the victim, and stated he was homeless from 1998-to- 1999 which greatly affected his life. He said for the past eight years he has had his own apartment and moved from Southeast to Northeast Washington, D.C., to try to get away from the violence. 

Nonetheless, Judge Pasichow sentenced Warren to four years in prison.

“You cannot get yourself under control,” Judge Pasichow said referencing the violent nature of Warren’s offenses.

Upon release, she said Warren will be required to serve three years of supervised release and attend an anger management program. 

No further dates were set.