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By
Carmen Quinteros [former]
, Aryana Zakeri [former] - May 29, 2024
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Homicides
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Parties in a 2018 homicide case argued whether a defendant’s new sentence should be served concurrently or consecutively to a previously imposed penalty before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan, in a May 28 hearing.
Bernard McKinney, 23, was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed while committing a robbery, robbery while armed, assault with intent to commit robbery while armed, attempt to commit robbery while armed, and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in a robbery on June 12, 2018 on the 300 block of 50th Street, NE. One of the victims, 24-year-old Daymond Chicas, was killed by an unidentified person during the incident. According to the prosecution, McKinney had more contact with the surviving victim during the robbery.
McKinney was 17 when the incident occurred.
On Nov. 5, 2020, the defendant accepted a guilty plea for armed robbery in exchange for a dismissal of all other charges.
On May 11, 2021, DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz sentenced McKinney to six years of incarceration and five years of probation after release, along with 90 hours of community service.
He agreed to sentence him under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA), which effectively sealed his case after he successfully completed his sentencing requirements.
During his release on probation, McKinney was charged with two counts of robbery while armed and two counts of possession of a firearm during crime of violence for his involvement in a robbery that occurred on July 4, 2023 on the 900 block of Maine Avenue, SW, leaving one victim with a head injury after being struck with a handgun.
McKinney was also linked to a second armed robbery on July 9, 2023 on the 500 block of Water Street, SW, which left two victims uninjured.
On May 28, McKinney accepted a guilty plea in connection to the 2023 incidents, and was sentenced by DC Superior Court Judge Erik Christian to eight-and-a-half years of incarceration.
Pierce Suen, McKinney’s defense attorney, requested Judge Raffinan allow McKinney’s new sentence be served concurrent with his original sentence from his case in 2018.
McKinney addressed the court saying “I’m sorry. I can do better and I will do better.”
The prosecution requested that the sentences be served consecutively because the defendant “had a chance to put it all behind him” after being released and “yet committed another armed robbery.”
Judge Raffinan ruled that the sentences would run consecutively because it relates to “separate victims and separate charges.”
Mckinney has three years left to serve on his 2018 case.
No further dates were set.