Judge Sentences Man in Vehicular Homicide

By D.C. Witness Staff - March 1, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

A D.C. Superior Court judge sentenced a murder defendant March 1 to serve four years behind bars before serving four years on supervised probation.

In November, Lavone Beckett pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for driving under the influence of PCP and crashing his car into a pole, which ultimately led to the death of his passenger, Tanisha Ray. The crash occurred on the 600 block of Florida Avenue, NE in 2017.

During the hearing, Judge Ronna Beck sentenced Beckett to six years in prison, but suspended all but 48 months. She also sentenced him to four years of supervised probation following his release from prison.

“I feel guilty that I got to live and she didn’t,” Beckett, 41, said referring to Ray, who was a mother of four. “The lesson I’m learning is lifelong.”

According to the prosecution, “good samaritans” were able to get Beckett out of the car. However, the car was engulfed in flames and they were unable to get Ray out in time. The prosecution said Ray burned to death.

“PCP turns people into zombies, vampires,” the prosecution said. “People who are not in control of their actions.”

While defense attorney John Fowler didn’t refute Beckett’s responsibility, he did say that Beckett struggled with addiction dating back to his childhood, something that Beckett didn’t deal with until recently.

According to Fowler, Beckett grew up with addicts, including his mother. At the age of fourteen Beckett ended up taking care of himself and went on to finish high school and  some college courses.

Fowler said Beckett worked in a high school as a security officer and that while he was on the job he intervened in a fight and was jumped. Apparently, Beckett went on pain killers for a back injury and that’s when his own addiction began.

“I apologize to the family,” Beckett said. “ I’ve wanted to apologize a 1000 times over.”