A stabbing defendant told DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on July 17 that he was rejecting a plea offer that would have dismissed a second-degree murder charge against him.
Donald Shields, 48, is charged with second-degree murder while armed and possession of a prohibited weapon for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of Dominique Ratiff, 36, in the neck on Dec. 30, 2024 on the 1900 block of Massachusetts Avenue, NW in the DuPont Circle neighborhood.
Prosecutors offered to dismiss both charges and the possession charge and agreed that Shields’ serve between 11-and-14 years in prison if he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
Shields told Judge Kravitz he had spoken to Bernadette Armand, his attorney, about the plea offer and maintained his rejection.
Due to a busy court calendar, Judge Kravitz set Shields’ trial date for Jan. 10, 2028.
“That seems crazy but that’s the best we can do,” Judge Kravitz said.
Parties are set to reconvene Sept. 11 for a status hearing.
