DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt emphasized that a repeat domestic violence defendant’s actions stemmed from his desire for control at a sentencing on Aug. 21.
James Callen, 42, was convicted by a jury on June 11 of assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, and assault with significant bodily injury while armed for stabbing his then-girlfriend on July 13, 2024 on the 1600 block of Morris Road, SE. The charges face an aggravating factor of being committed while Callen was on release for another case.
The jury also convicted Callen of three counts of felony contempt for violating a stay-away order by contacting the victim in September 2024, January 2025, and February 2025.
At sentencing, the victim said, “I’m a survivor of the attempted murder committed” by Callen. The victim said Callen also used “his bare hands as weapons” to send her to the hospital several times.
The victim described her continued post-traumatic stress disorder, nightmares, flashbacks, and panic attacks. When the victim crosses paths with men who resemble Callen, she said she feels fearful and anxious, despite knowing he is incarcerated.
“You are a survivor,” Judge Brandt told the victim. “It’s very brave for you to come up and tell your story in front of strangers with the amount of strength and grace that you just did.”
The victim “walked through a storm,” Judge Brandt said, and “the jury clearly thought so.”
The prosecution asked for a total sentence of 23-and-a-half years in prison for Callen. They acknowledged that their request was close to the top of the guidelines, but said it was warranted by the “horrifying” nature and circumstances of the offense.
According to prosecutors, the victim sustained numerous assaults from Callen throughout their relationship that culminated in him stabbing her repeatedly because she expressed not wanting to live with him. In the months following the stabbing, prosecutors said Callen called the victim more than 80 times from the DC Jail, despite a court order to not contact her.
The offense was not the first time Callen stabbed a romantic partner, emphasized prosecutors. In 2019, Callen was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon after stabbing his wife.
The prosecution expressed hope that a lengthy term of imprisonment would allow Callen to reevaluate his choices.
Wole Falodun, Callen’s attorney, said Callen’s “worst conduct is part of who he is, it is not the entirety of who he is.” Falodun emphasized Callen’s work history, sobriety during times of stability, and that he once completed supervision successfully.
Falodun requested Callen serve nine-and-a-half years in prison total for the assault charges with the time for the contempt charges to run concurrently to the fullest extent permitted by the law. For the offenses committed during release, Falodun asked for the minimum sentence.
Callen maintained his innocence and chose not to speak because of his pending motion for a new trial and right to appeal his conviction, Falodun said.
Judge Brandt commended Falodun and said his written sentencing memorandum was one of the best she received in the recent past. Falodun articulated “the duality of Mr. Callen,” Judge Brandt said.
“Mr. Callen hasn’t always had an easy life,” Judge Brandt acknowledged, but said his “life has been peppered with this thing called choice.”
Judge Brandt described the amount of Callen’s prior domestic violence convictions as “absolutely staggering.” Callen committed the offenses against women he purportedly cared about, noted the judge. Judge Brandt said care, concern, and love should not be mistaken for control.
“It has always been, and it will always be about control,” Judge Brandt emphasized.
Judge Brandt pointed to Callen’s disregard for the court order to not contact the victim as further evidence of his desire for control. “You’ve got to control the situation,” Judge Brandt told Callen.
Judge Brandt sentenced Callen to 17 years in prison for assault with intent to kill, 10 years for aggravated assault, and five years for assault with significant bodily injury. Assault with a dangerous weapon is a lesser-included offense, and therefore merged with the other charges for sentencing.
For each offense committed during release, the judge sentenced Callen to two years, to run concurrent with each other, but consecutive to the assault sentences.
Callen received 18 months in prison for each contempt charge, concurrent to each other, but consecutive to the other sentences.
In total, Callen will serve 20-and-a-half years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He must also stay away and not contact the victim.
No further dates were set.
