Judge Sentences Homicide Defendant to 16 Years in Prison 

By D.C. Witness Staff - June 17, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan sentenced a 29-year-old defendant to 16 years in prison. 

Delonte Samuels pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed in relation to 30-year-old  Michael Bright’s homicide in 2020. He was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed, however, Samuels accepted a plea offer of second-degree murder on March 18. 

On October 6, 2020, Samuels and another defendant were attempting to rob Bright in his car in front of his mother’s house on the 1100 block of 45th Street, NE. Another defendant was also arrested in relation to the homicide, but Judge Michael O’Keefe did not find probable cause and dismissed the other defendant’s case. 

Bright’s mother provided a victim impact statement before the sentencing on June 17. She spoke for her son, who suffered numerous gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead on the scene. 

His mother said she knew Samuels and “never pictured him doing this.” She presented the judge with photographs of Bright and expressed how he left behind his four children. 

Defense attorney Janai Reed said Samuels was “extremely ashamed” and “can’t forgive himself” for his crime. 

Samuels spoke before the sentencing and apologized to Bright’s family. He said he wishes “I could take it back” and “never meant for any of that to happen.” Samules repeatedly said sorry and that he “is not that type of person.” He also expressed that he “wants justice to be served,” in regard to his sentence. 

Considering Samuels’ prior criminal history, he was sentenced to 16 years of incarceration based on the prosecutor and defense counsel’s agreement. Other conditions that Raffinan ordered were for Samuels to undergo a substance abuse evaluation and treatment, mental health assessment and treatment, grief counseling, anger management, and enter a General Educational Development program.

Samuels committed this crime while he was on release from a previous case. Additionally, other cases he currently has open were dismissed as part of the terms of the plea deal.