A homicide defendant accepted a deal extended by prosecutors, pleading guilty to second-degree murder while armed before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on June 22. In exchange, the prosecution agreed to dismiss all other charges.
Yazmin Owens, 26, was originally charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during crime of violence for her involvement in the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Nakysia Lemon-Williams on Nov. 14, 2023, on the 1900 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE. Lemon-Williams sustained one gunshot wound to her torso.
As part of the plea agreement, the parties agreed to a sentencing range of 20-to-24 years of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, subject to Judge Kravitz’s approval.
Without the plea deal, second-degree murder carries a maximum of 40 years in prison.
Had the case gone to trial, prosecutors claimed they would have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Owens followed Lemon-Williams out of her apartment and shot once, killing her.
Judge Kravitz ensured Owens knowingly and voluntarily accepted the plea deal.
Parties are slated to reconvene for Owens’ sentencing on Sept. 11.
