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Sofia Feigelson
- July 15, 2024
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Before an upcoming retrial, a hit-and-run defendant accepted a plea deal which required him to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan on July 12.
Eric Beasley, 33, was originally charged with first-degree murder for killing 45-year-old David Farewell by hitting him with a motor vehicle shortly before midnight on Sept. 4, 2020, on the 2100 block of Young Street, SE.
According to court documents, Farewell was riding his bicycle when he was hit. The documents also state that Farewell was the husband of a woman Beasley shares children with.
Through the deal, parties agreed to a sentencing range of six-to-nine years of in prison.
According to the statement of facts, which was acknowledged by the defendant, the prosecution would have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Beasley caused the death of Farewell by hitting him with a vehicle. The prosecutor stated there is video surveillance accompanied with audio and physical evidence from the incident.
Additionally, the prosecutor stated that, prior to the offense, Beasley and the victim got into an altercation at the intersection of 22nd Street and Prout Street, SE. Shortly after the altercation, Farewell was struck and pinned under the vehicle before Beasley drove away.
During the first trial last year, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan granted the defense’s request for a mistrial on Oct. 16, 2023, due to the jury’s inability to unanimously agree on a verdict. A retrial was scheduled for Sept. 23.
Farewell’s daughter addressed Judge Raffinan via WebEx and requested the maximum sentence in the plea deal.
“It hurts really bad,” said the daughter, expressing the pain she has experienced from her father’s death. She added that she suffers from anxiety and depression and has trouble sleeping at night.
Parties reconvene for sentencing on Sept. 20.
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