A defendant in a non-fatal shooting at a DC Metro stop accepted a plea deal before DC Superior Court Dayna Dayson on Oct. 15.
Demann Shelton, 32, was originally charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, six counts of possession of a firearm during crime of violence and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction of greater than one year.
The charges are related to his involvement in a non-fatal shooting on the 3000 block of 14th Street, NW, on Nov. 9, 2020 after he allegedly opened fire on a group of five people, where one victim sustained injuries.
On July 28, Shelton’s first trial resulted in a hung jury as jurors were unable to come to a unanimous decision, and a new trial was set to begin in January of 2026.
Prior to the hearing on Oct. 15, the prosecution and defense agreed to a deal, which waived Shelton’s right to a second trial.
The agreement required that Shelton plead guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction of more than one year in exchange for all additional charges dismissed. Through the deal, parties agreed to three years of imprisonment with three years of supervised release.
According to the prosecution, had the case gone to trial, they would have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Shelton assaulted two people after an interaction at a Metro stop, where he fired his gun at two victims. Shelton did so with an upgraded gun that let him shoot with one hand, demonstrating that he voluntarily and knowingly committed the crime.
After Shelton agreed that the facts were accurate, Judge Dayson asked a series of questions to ensure that Shelton was accepting the plea agreement voluntarily. Shelton was asked if he was acting in self-defense or in defense of a third party, to which he answered yes.
Defense attorney Emily Sufrin asked for the court’s indulgence to explain to her client that his answer would put the agreement in jeopardy because acting in self-defense or in defense of a third party indicates innocence.
Shelton agreed that his actions were not justifiable under the law and there was no sufficient evidence for him to plead innocent.
Parties are slated to reconvene on Nov. 14.
