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By
Raina Bonifacio
, Mia Kimm , Amber Fienagha - February 4, 2025
Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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A homicide defendant was sentenced to 32 years of incarceration on Jan. 31 before DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo.
On Sept. 18, 2024, Darius Anderson, 23, was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of firearm during crime of violence, and two counts of carrying a pistol without a license outside home or business for his involvement in the fatal shooting of Israel Mattocks, 30, on June 15, 2022 at the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE.
During the sentencing, the prosecution called Mattocks’ mother to provide a victim impact statement.
“My son was not perfect, but he did not deserve to die like that,” the victim’s mother said. “I’m asking the court for no mercy.”
The prosecution argued Anderson had a habit of not taking responsibility for his actions and tried minimize the consequences. They also said that this crime was the result of an argument which shouldn’t have led to a violence confrontation.
As a result, the prosecution requested 716 months of incarceration.
Wole Falodun, Anderson’s attorney, asked the court to consider the broader context and life circumstances that have shaped the defendant. He spoke of the hardship Anderson experienced as a child growing up with economic struggles and abusive parents. Falodun requested a 30 year sentence, which he argued would allow for accountability, reflection, and rehabilitation.
Falodun stated that fear and choices will always be part of Anderson’s story, but it should not define his life.
Falodun also invited education attorney Aubrey Dillon to speak on Anderson’s behalf. Dillon told the court that Anderson has a mental disability that is generally invisible. He asked the court to place Anderson in a facility equipped to serve his educational and mental health needs.
“We [can] mitigate the intense damage done to Darius’ life so that all of this is not done in vain,” Dillon said.
Judge Demeo sentenced Anderson to 360 months with five years of supervised release for first-degree murder premeditated while armed. This sentence is set to run concurrently to a sentence of 60 months of incarceration and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and a sentence of 16 months of incarceration and three years of supervised release for carrying a pistol without a license outside a home/business.
The final sentence, of 24 months of incarceration and 3 years of supervised release for carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, is set to run consecutively to the first three sentences.
Judge Demeo also stated that she would make a recommendation for Anderson to be placed in the facilities requested by Dillon.
No further dates were set.