Homicide Defendant Rejects Final Plea Offer for 2022 Murder Case

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On June 2, murder defendant Delonte Jackson rejected the prosecution’s final plea offer pushing his case to trial.

Jackson, 23, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the murder of 44-year-old Artavarn Wagner on March 3, 2022, on the 1700 block of Gales Street, NE. Jackson allegedly stole Wagner’s car after shooting him. 

The plea deal offered by prosecutors would have Jackson plead guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed and one count of possession of a firearm, with a sentence of 162 months incarcerated to run concurrently for both charges and the dismissal of his misdemeanor charges.  

DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt confirmed Jackson understood the deal being offered and the maximum sentence of 40 years if found guilty at trial. 

The next hearing is set for June 15.