Domestic Violence Defendant Sentenced for Attempted Assault With a Dangerous Weapon

By Bersabel Ephrem [former] , Makie Theodros [former] - April 14, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Domestic Violence | Suspects | Victims |

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a domestic violence defendant for attempted assault with a dangerous weapon.

Christopher Cork was initially charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in November 2021. He pleaded down to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon last February.

The prosecutor read a letter from the victim during his April 13 sentencing hearing.

“I know for a fact that he was trying to kill me and if DC Police didn’t knock my door down, I would have been dead,” they stated.

The prosecutor said Cork still blames the victim for what he believes caused the incident and has not expressed remorse. Still, he said the defendant will likely learn how to “manage his anger.”

Defense attorney Charles Haskell countered by saying his client wasn’t justifying his actions but simply trying to tell the whole story.

“He expressed he was working on himself and was ready to accept full responsibility for his actions,” Haskell said. He asked Judge Lynn Leibovitz to allow his client to be released from DC Jail once he has served six months, which would be in a couple of weeks. He mentioned his client’s mental illness and said he has somewhere to live after his release.

Judge Leibovitz responded to the defense’s request by asking if the defendant was on his medication at the time of the incident. The defense replied that he was not, but does plan to get back on them.

The prosecutor asked Judge Leibovitz to impose a 10-month sentence with six of those months suspended. He also wanted the defendant to receive drug treatment and a mental health evaluation.

The victim didn’t agree with the government’s sentencing recommendation and believed Cork adeserved a harsher penalty, the prosecutor said.

Judge Leibovitz decided to sentence Cork to 16 months, 10 of which are suspended, followed by two years of supervised probation. As part of his probation, the defendant must receive a mental health screening and evaluation as well as drug testing. He must also comply with a stay away order.

Cork declined to speak in court.