Balancing punishment with compassion, DC Superior Court Judge Deborah Israel imposed a minimal jail sentence while endorsing a detailed plan to support a shooting defendant’s fragile mental health in a May 1 hearing.
Darryl Wood, 65, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm with a conviction of more than one year, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm for a non-fatal shooting incident on Aug. 23, 2025 on the 4600 block of Martin Luther King Avenue, SW.
In what started as a prank, known as “ding-dong ditch,” two girls rang the doorbell of an apartment where Woods was living with his cousin and ran down the building’s hallway.
In what he admitted was a dangerous overreaction, Wood fired a shot at the pranksters leaving a bullet hole in a nearby apartment’s dining room wall. No injuries were reported.
”Kids do stupid things. But it does not warrant being shot at,” said the prosecutor, calling it an “Incredibly reckless” offense. He called for a sentence of 32 months in jail, the mandatory minimum for assault with a dangerous weapon based on Wood’s previous run in with the law during the 80s and 90s.
Wood pleaded guilty to the shooting in February, however at the sentencing defense attorney Erin Girffard explained the unusual circumstances surrounding the crime. Wood suffers from a degenerative mental condition that not only affects his memory but also creates a heightened sense of danger.
“Mr. Wood would take it back in a heartbeat if he could,” said Griffard. She said the interruption left him confused and disoriented, so he reached for a gun. In a letter to the court Wood expressed remorse for his actions and called his state of mind “a delicate balance” between independence and care since he lost his wife of 20 years.
“If I could do it all over again, it never would have happened. What I did was wrong and my reaction was wrong,” wrote Wood.
“Thank God nobody got hurt,” he said.
Griffard said Wood had lived a “remarkable life” working at Gallaudet University for the deaf in DC for 15 years. She argued for a sentence of one year of supervised probation. Going forward, Griffand suggested the appointment of a dementia navigator for Wood who would provide structure and day-to-day support, transitioning to an assisted living facility.
Judge Israel said the plan was “brilliant” and makes “so much sense” in that it’s a holistic approach that includes medical and mental health treatment as well as housing. However, the judge said it would have to be under the supervision of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) as well as the Public Defender Service (PDS).
However, the judge said she couldn’t get around the mandatory minimum for the assault with a dangerous weapon charge. Still, she suspended all but six months with credit for time served, calling for six months of supervised release and nine months of supervised probation.
Wood must also register as a gun offender and pay $200 to the Victims of Violent Crime Fund.
“I’m worried about your health,” said Israel regarding the 115 days Wood had left to serve. She, admonished him to call his lawyer when released.
