DC Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean sentenced a shooting defendant, who was recently released after 14 years on a separate case, to a total of eight years of imprisonment on March 3.
Davone Smith, 40, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault knowingly, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior crime of violence on Dec. 12, 2025. The charges stem from his involvement in a shooting that injured one victim on March 11, 2025 at the unit block of Mississippi Avenue, SE. The victim sustained one shot in his shoulder.
As part of the plea deal, parties agreed to a total sentence between seven-to-eight years in prison.
At sentencing, prosecutors noted at the time of the offense, Smith was recently released from prison after serving 14 years for a previous conviction. Wole Falodun, Smith’s attorney, said his client was on parole for the offense and will face a parole board at a later date. Parties did not elaborate on Smith’s prior offense.
The prosecution showed video footage of the incident, in which the victim and a witness stood in front of a building on Mississippi Avenue in broad daylight. The video showed an individual, identified by prosecutors as Smith, opening the front door of the building with a gun in his hand and firing shots.
In the video, the victim and witness tried to hide behind a car but the victim was shot once in the shoulder.
The prosecution argued that the victim and witness were minding their own business when the incident occurred. Prosecutors emphasized that an argument for self-defense was rebutted by the video evidence.
A sentence of eight years total imprisonment for all charges, the top of the guidelines was requested by the prosecution to Judge McLean.
Smith’s attorney, Wole Falodun, argued that the defendant “would have made a different decision” on that day looking back at the incident. Falodun claimed there was no difference between the bottom and the top of the plea agreement sentence.
Smith spoke, saying “I apologize to the victim.”
Judge McLean was concerned with “how causally [the incident] occurred.” Ultimately, Judge McLean accepted the agreed upon sentence range.
The final term imposed was six-and-a-half years for the assault charge, eight years for possession during a crime of violence, and four-and-a-half for unlawful possession. All sentences will run concurrent with each other followed by a three year period of supervised release.
Judge McLean ordered Smith to also seek mental health services during his imprisonment and supervised release. Smith must also register as a gun offender in DC.
No further dates have been set.
