Thank you for reading D.C. Witness.
Help us continue our mission into 2025 by donating to our end of year campaign.
By
Lauren Andreala
- November 14, 2024
Daily Stories
|
Suspects
|
Victims
|
DC Superior Court Judge Erik Christian sentenced a homicide defendant to 25 years of incarceration on Nov. 7.
On Sept. 6, Vincent Hemphill, 62, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed and two counts of assault with intent to kill for his involvement in the fatal beating of 81-year-old Charlames Short, as well as well as assaulting two other surviving victims with a shovel and a sledgehammer on Oct. 12, 2023. The incident occurred at an air compressor rental company on the 1800 block of 4th Street, NE.
According to court documents, Hemphill beat Short with a shovel after a disagreement at work. He further injured two other individuals. According to a release from the DC US Attorney’s Office, “The defendant then returned to where Mr. Short was lying on the ground and hit Mr. Short with the sledgehammer in the back and head area.”
Ultimately, one of the victims was able to disarm Hemphill.
During the hearing, the prosecution brought forth three of Short’s family members for victim impact statements.
Short’s son expressed his anger and frustration with how his father died, adding their relationship had grown in a good way. Additionally he emphasized this was a senseless act that left him very upset and angry. Short’s son requested Judge Christian impose the maximum penalty.
Short’s nephew reiterated the loss deeply impacted the entire family, and he is haunted by his uncle’s absence. Overall, the family feels lost and helpless trying to cope with Short’s death, the nephew added.
Short’s daughter deemed him a hardworking and caring father. “What evil person could do this to my father?,” Short’s daughter cried. She asked Judge Christian for the maximum sentencing, hoping “he goes to hell for killing my father.”
The prosecution played multiple surveillance footage clips showing the events that led up to the incident. Family members were horrified by the explicit videos. The prosecution added Hemphill had a positive upbringing, and there is no justification for this severe incident.
Judge Christian acknowledged the court would not overlook this heinous act, and turned to the defendant to ask him why he committed this crime, giving him the opportunity to explain his actions before sentencing. Hemphill chose not to comment.
Judge Christian sentenced Hemphill to 156 months of confinement, with five years of supervision for the manslaughter charge, and 72 months of imprisonment with three years of supervised release for each of the assault charges. The sentences will be served consecutively, totaling 300 months of incarceration.
There are no further dates for this case.