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By
Raina Bonifacio
- March 12, 2025
Court
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Daily Stories
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Non-Fatal Shooting
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Suspects
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Parties debated whether a nonfatal shooting was an unreasonable act of aggression or justified self-defense in closing arguments before DC Superior Court Judge Deborah Israel on March 10.
Diamond Early, 32, is charged with assault with significant bodily injury while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, simple assault, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition for her alleged involvement in a shooting that left one victim injured in the leg on July 31, 2023 on the 4000 block of Kansas Avenue, NW.
Prosecutors said that Early allegedly struck one of the victim’s children, an incident captured on surveillance, and remained at the scene. She then allegedly shot the victim in the leg when she and her sister verbally confronted Early.
The prosecution argued Early’s actions were not self-defense but “unnecessary, unreasonable, excessive.” They cited the victim’s statements describing Early’s behavior prior to the shooting, identifying it as smug, happy, and mocking. “Is that consistent with someone who is afraid for their life?” the prosecution said.
Early had other opportunities to leave or defend her children in a calm manner, according to the prosecution, options which she chose not to take.
“Early took a barbecue that day and made it a tragedy,” said the prosecutors.
Antoini Jones, Early’s defense attorney, showed video clips before she slapped the victim’s child. It showed her children crying as an apparent result of other kids allegedly hitting them. She “made contact” with the five-year-old, claimed Jones, but her “tunnel vision was to get to her daughter.”
The victim had previously testified she was biting off her nails before confronting Early. Jones argued this action was odd if the intention was only to “ask questions.”
Jones presented a video to the jury which depicted a witness from the apartment heard to day, “They [the sisters] are about to beat the shit out of her [Early].” The gunshot happened immediately after, according to Jones, and urged the jury to “imagine being the person on the other end of that, with your child.”
Jones claimed the “case is reeking of self-defense,” considering Early fired a single shot, hit no vital organs and the victim was able to walk after.
In their rebuttal, the prosecution asserted Early “can’t beat up children as an adult” and reiterated she did not use reasonable force to defend herself against an unarmed victim.
“Believe your own eyes, not arguments of attorneys,” the prosecutors stated.
Parties are slated to reconvene when the jury reaches a verdict.