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By
Tory Lysik [former]
- October 25, 2021
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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Suspects
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Victims
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“My oldest son was killed on my second son’s 34th birthday,” James Eric Ferrell‘s mother said before the Chief Judge of the DC Superior Court sentenced the man convicted of his murder to 18 years in prison.
In February 2020, MacArthur Venable pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed for shooting 34-year-old Ferrell on Oct. 31, 2018, outside a metro bus on the Unit block of Massachusetts Avenue, NE, after the two had a disagreement.
Ferrell’s mother called the homicide “senseless” and “heartless.”
“I feel like the system is failing us all because people do not get rehabilitated in jail,” she said. Venable has a prior criminal record which is made up of almost entirely non-violent offenses.
Ferrell was the oldest of six children. Venerable was arrested on his youngest brother’s birthday, his mother said. The defendant was originally charged with first-degree murder while armed, but pleaded down to second-degree murder while armed after making a deal with prosecutors. The plea deal included an agreement that 15 to 18 years would be an appropriate sentence for this case, D.C. Witness previously reported.
During the Oct. 25 hearing, defense attorney Lisbeth Sapirstien said Venable has “accepted responsibility for his conduct” and is “very sorry.”
During the Oct. 25 hearing, Chief Judge Anita Josey Herring acknowledged that someone in the audience was wearing a Black Lives Matter hat. She said that someone having to wear that symbol signifies that others may not believe it. She said they do matter, yet senseless incidents like this prove troubling for ideas such as BLM.
Judge Josey-Herring acknowledged how “horrible things” in Venable’s life led to the homicide, but said the defendant should not let his trauma control his actions.
“I apologize for letting my emotions dictate me,” Venable said.
Venable’s 18-year prison sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release. He will receive credit for time served.