A homicide defendant, who is already serving a sentence for another murder, rejected a plea deal extended by prosecutors on Dec. 19, before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz.
Mark Price, 31, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, two counts of assault with the intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, threatening to kidnap or injure a person, armed burglary, four counts of firearm possession during a crime of violence, and the unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Andre Young, 47, on the 1500 block of 19th Street, SE, on July 30, 2018.
During the hearing, Judge Kravitz questioned the case’s lengthy delay, stating it has been ongoing since 2018.
“It’s been through a couple of attorneys and judges, your honor,” Destiny Fullwood-Singh, Price’s attorney, said, stating that the case was also trailing the other homicide case for which Price was convicted, and is serving a 50 year sentence.
The prosecution alerted Judge Kravitz they had extended a deal, which would require Price to plead guilty to second-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed in exchange for the prosecution dismissing all other charges.
Had Price accepted the plea deal, parties would agree to a sentence of 27-and-a-half years of imprisonment, which would run consecutively to his other sentences.
“Your honor, I’m rejecting it,” Price told Judge Kravitz.
Kravitz suggested parties work together to pursue a resolution in the case, stating “I have no opinion on how this case should be resolved, but if the government has already secured a 50 year sentence, if that case survives appeal, this case kind of becomes moot given Mr. Price’s age and what a 50 year sentence means for him.”
Judge Kravitz added that Price’s only chance at getting out of jail is for his appeal in the other case to prevail and not get convicted in this case, which would “put him in prison for most, if not all, of his life.”
Parties are slated to reconvene April 24.
