A stabbing defendant pleaded guilty to a felony and misdemeanor charge before DC Superior Court Judge Andrea Hertzfeld on March 3.
Tara Bellinger, 40, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for her involvement in a stabbing on the unit block of Forrester Street, SW on Feb. 10.
During the hearing Bellinger pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and misdemeanor assault on law enforcement. In return the prosecution agreed not to seek further indictments.
According to the prosecution, the maximum sentence for assault with a dangerous weapon is 10 years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine followed by seven years of supervised release. The misdemeanor assault on law enforcement maximum penalty is 180 days confinement and/or $1,000 fine.
After determining Bellinger understood her rights and knowingly pleaded guilty, Judge Hertzfeld accepted her guilty plea.
If the case would have proceeded to trial, the prosecution stated that they would be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Bellinger stabbed the victim in the hand when he was restraining her from attacking someone else. Later, when officers placed Bellinger under arrest, she spat on an officer.
Louis Kamara, Bellinger’s attorney, requested Judge Hertzfeld release Bellinger to a halfway house pending sentencing. Kamara argued that Bellinger has four children, one of whom has special needs, and her only other conviction was ten years ago.
“I just wanna be there for my son, I need to take care of him,” Bellinger stated.
The prosecution opposed the release, saying “there’s a lot more to this case.” The attorney argued that placing Bellinger in a halfway house would create a risk for the community because “she could walk out at any point.”
Judge Hertzfeld denied the request for release.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 12.
