Judge Enacts Murder Defendant’s 8-Year Sentence

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 30, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

A DC Superior Court judge enacted April 30 a murder defendant’s sentence after the defense said he finished an educational program at DC Jail.

In October of 2018, Rodney Baggott pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for shooting 44-year-old Donald Franklin Bush on the 2300 block of 15th Street, NE in 2015. He was initially charged with second-degree murder while armed and other gun possession offenses.

Judge Judith Bartnoff sentenced Baggott, who is now 51 years old, to eight years in prison on Jan. 11. However, she delayed the actual implementation of the sentence in order to give Baggott time to finish a class in fiber optics at DC Jail.

During the hearing, the prosecution reminded the judge that, as part of the plea agreement, an unrelated murder charge for the death of 23-year-old DeAngelo Barr in 1995 would be dismissed. 

D.C. Witness previously reported that Baggott excelled in programs at the jail, including a reading and writing program for inmates called the Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop.

Upon his release, Baggott will also be required to serve five years on supervised release.

Read more on Baggott’s sentencing, here.