DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson sentenced a defendant to just over nine years in prison for three cases on Nov. 7.
On March 28, Chad Hawthorne, 44, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Antonio Bassett on May 22, 2017 on the 3900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, NE.
Hawthorne also pleaded guilty to simple assault for his participation in a jail stabbing on June 20, 2018 at the DC Jail on the 1900 block of D Street, SE.
Hawthorne previously went to trial for Bassett’s death, which, according to court documents, resulted in a mistrial due to two crucial witnesses dying pretrial. The prosecution agreed to downgrade the charges to voluntary manslaughter to achieve a plea deal.
At the sentencing on Nov. 7, he also pleaded guilty to simple assault and possession of a prohibited weapon for another stabbing at the DC Jail on July 25, 2025.
The prosecution said that if they had gone to trial, they would have proven that Hawthorne possessed a shank, approached the victim at the jail and stabbed him twice. Hawthorne objected to the word “stabbing,” saying that he rather “cut” the victim.
During sentencing, Bassett’s sisters spoke via Webex.
One sister called Hawthorne a “merciless fool.”
“You took a whole life with no remorse, with no feelings behind it,” she said.
She also reiterated that her family has not been the same since Bassett’s death.
Another sister said Antonio was killed on her birthday and that she has not been able to celebrate since. She also said that “at the end of the day, everybody has to answer to God.”
As part of his plea agreement, parties agreed to a specific sentence of 102 months for Bassett’s death.
During sentencing, the prosecution restated the brutality of the killing – Bassett was sleeping when he was shot.
“I can tell you this was first-degree murder every day, all day long,” the prosecutor said. “He ought to do every day possible.”
The prosecutor also asked for the maximum sentence for the 2025 jail stabbing, which would have been one year for possession of a prohibited weapon and 180 days for simple assault.
Defense attorney Tammy Thom argued that the prosecution’s statements were “ingenuous.” She explained that Hawthorne committed his crimes out of fear and that the jail is a violent place.
“He did that because he had been threatened,” Thom said.
Hawthorne also decided to speak during his sentencing.
“I apologize to the court,” he said. “I apologize to the victim’s family, to my family.”
Hawthorne also said that at the time of the shooting, he was living in a trap house, where he said he was surrounded by drug dealers and felt unsafe. He also alleged that corrections officers at the jail were not protecting him from other inmates, which led to the stabbings.
Additionally, he told Judge Dayson that he is participating in anger management and employment and housing assistance programs to help him when he is released.
“I just want another chance at life,” Hawthorne said.
Judge Dayson sentenced Hawthorne to 102 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release for the death of Bassett, 120 days for the 2018 simple assault. She also sentenced him to 120 days per count for the 2025 jail stabbing, with those sentences to run concurrently.
Each case’s sentence will run consecutive to one another, with a combined sentence of 102 months and 240 days, or just over nine years in prison.
No further dates were set.
