Alvin Thomas, Jr., the defense attorney for Demarco Bates, informed the court that his client was rejecting a plea offer extended by the prosecution at a hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on May 16.
Bates, 28, is charged with four counts of assault with intent to kill, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict, two counts of destruction of property worth less than $1,000, and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that occurred on April 10, 2024, on the 2700 block of Langston Place, SE. Two individuals sustained injuries during the incident.
According to the prosecutor, the plea offer would have required Bates to plead guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. In return, the prosecution would have agreed to limit their sentencing request to eight-and-a-half-to-10 years in prison.
The next hearing in this case is scheduled for June 6.
