DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced a non-fatal shooting defendant to seven-and-a-half years in prison on April 3.
Nigel Pulliam, 32, pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2025 to assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in a non-fatal shooting on the 2100 block of Benning Road, NE on Aug. 29, 2022 and a robbery on the 700 block of 14th Street, NE on Sept. 23, 2022.
As part of the plea deal, parties agreed to a sentence between six-to-10 years in prison, subject to Judge Edelman’s approval.
The prosecutor requested Pulliam be sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. She claimed that Pulliam had shot at the same victim in a prior incident on a busy thoroughfare. According to the prosecutor, this history contradicted the “completely unsupported allegation,” that the victim was a drug dealer Pulliam was frightened of.
Judge Edelman asked why Pulliam was afraid of the victim, his attorney Sarah Kopecki said the victim had control over others and owned firearms.
“[The victim’s] well-established, we maintain, as a violent person,” Kopecki said.
“[The victim] was just trying to live his life,” the prosecutor said.
In addition, the prosecutor referenced a psychological evaluation of Pulliam that cited his post-traumatic stress disorder from gun violence as an explanation for his escalation of minor disagreements. “It’s shocking then that he would choose to engage in gun violence against this victim not once but twice,” the prosecutor said.
Kopecki said Pulliam understood he was admitting to the harm he caused and was relieved to plead guilty.
Kopecki requested for the two charges to be served concurrently in a six-year sentence. She also asked he be granted probation instead of supervised release so he would have easier access to Bureau of Prisons (BoP) apprenticeships and the Life Connections program, which uses faith-based communities to help inmates reintegrate into society.
“My client, right now, could truly use some support,” Kopecki said. “That history of violence, if we can support him, can be turned around.”
Pulliam said he acted out of fear of the victim, but regretted his actions.
“I could’ve been the bigger man,” Pulliam said. “To live amongst violence doesn’t mean you have to be a part of it.”
Judge Edelman acknowledged that this plea agreement, offered in the middle of Pulliam’s trial, was not the preferred option of either party. Edelman said the deal was “The result of arms-length bargaining in the midst of a contested trial.”
Judge Edelman noted that Pulliam did not injure the victim, but endangered him and others. He said the evidence clearly showed the victim was unarmed and they were not trying to fight Pulliam.
“Pulliam has been remorseful and reflective,” Judge Edelman said and added that Pulliam showed “a deeper expression of regret and acceptance of responsibility than” most defendants.
Judge Edelman also noted that he was struck by a sympathetic call between Pulliam and his romantic partner that was played during the trial. Judge Edelman said that while there was evidence Pulliam was jealous of a perceived relationship between his partner and the victim, his demeanor was different over the phone.
“You just didn’t sound like someone who would do that,” Judge Edelman said to Pulliam.
As a result, Judge Edelman sentenced Pulliam to concurrent sentences of six years for assault with a dangerous weapon and seven and a half years for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, followed by three years of supervised release. He recommended Pulliam for drug treatment, the Life Connections program, and BoP apprenticeship.
No further dates were set.
