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By
Varshana Ramnarine
, Maren Fagan - November 15, 2024
Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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Victims
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DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein sentenced a defendant to 17 years in prison after one of the victim’s family members offered a statement and another was escorted out of the hearing for an outburst on Nov. 15.
Kyree Hariston, 25, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed on Aug. 9 for his involvement in the fatal shooting of 51-year-old David Coe on Feb. 3 on the 1200 block of Southern Avenue, SE.
During the hearing, Coe’s niece addressed the court, saying he’s not passing judgment and holds no grudges against the defendant.
Coe’s niece said she couldn’t cry after the incident, and her uncle’s death still hasn’t hit her, but she has been praying for “him, his heart, and his soul.”
“Your family lost you to the system,” she told Hairston, “but we lost our uncle forever.”
Coe’s niece said about Hairston, just because “he made a downfall, doesn’t mean he can’t get back up.” In her closing to the court, she told him, “As long as you have breath in your body, you have a prayer from me.”
Judge Epstein said he admired her courage and forgiveness towards Hairston.
The prosecution asked for Hariston’s sentence to be 18 years, saying that the “victim’s impact statement is representative of Mr. Coe’s family.”
The prosecution also said Hairston showed no remorse and only made excuses for his actions. They said he had no concern for human life and didn’t deserve to be a part of the community.
The prosecution played security footage of the shooting, showing Hairston firing the gun after Coe had already been hit.
After the video played, a family member stood up in the gallery and yelled at Hairston, calling him a “son of a b***” and a “motherf*****” for shooting Coe. US Marshals escorted the family member out of the courtroom. Another family member screamed after seeing the video.
Coe’s defense attorney, Daniel Bruckheim, requested a sentence of 14 years, arguing Hairston accepted responsibility for his involvement in Coe’s death by pleading guilty. Bruckheim asked for Hairston to be sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA) because the YRA committee found him to be an eligible candidate. The statute allows a juvenile defender’s record to be sealed if the terms is successfully completed.
“I truly apologize to [Coe’s] family,” Hairston said, explaining he did not want Coe’s death to happen but he felt “backed against a wall.”
Judge Epstein said he gives Hariston credit for accepting responsibility but he would not sentence him under the YRA because the original charge before a plea agreement was second-degree murder while armed, something the YRA does not cover.
Along with the 17-year sentence, Judge Epstein gave Hairston five years of supervised release.
Parties did not set any further dates.