Judge Orders Homicide Defendant Transferred From St. Elizabeths to DC Jail After Rejecting Plea

By Sam Chodorow [former] , Anthoine Godin [former] - April 17, 2024
Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On April 17, a homicide defendant rejected a plea offer from prosecutors and was transferred from St. Elizabeths Hospital to the DC Jail.

Terry Thompson, 32, is charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 64-year-old Christopher Callahan on May 15, 2023 outside a 7-Eleven on the 3900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SW.

Thompson was at St. Elizabeths for mental observation.

According to court documents and surveillance video, which was not shown in court, a verbal altercation ensued, after which an individual, identified as Thompson, struck Callahan over the head with a duffle bag while Callahan was sitting on his walker. 

Thompson then pointed the duffle bag, which contained a rifle, at Callahan’s head, before allegedly shooting and striking him. The individual, identified as Thompson, was seen walking away, coming back to the scene, and pointing the bag at Callahan’s head again as he laid on the ground, before fleeing the scene.

The prosecution told before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt that they had offered Thompson two plea deals prior to the hearing. 

Both plea offers would require Thompson to plead guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for a dismissal of all other charges.

According to prosecutors, had he accepted the first offer, parties would have agreed to a sentencing of  18-to-22 years of incarceration. 

Similarly for the second plea offer, parties would have agreed to a sentencing range of 14-to-26 years of incarceration. 

In exchange for both plea offers, the prosecution would drop all other charges and waive enhancements.

Pierce Suen, Thompson’s defense attorney, alerted the court he was rejecting both offers and requested a trial date.

After Thompson rejected the offers, the prosecution highlighted a report at the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) indicating Thompson mentally competent to stand trial. They stated, “The defendant does not need to be at St. Elizabeths moving forward.”

Judge Brandt agreed, stating that due to Thompson’s competency, he would be required to be transferred to the DC Jail immediately.

“I’ve got no legal basis to keep him at St. Elizabeths at this point,” she said.

Pierce Suen alerted the court of his wish to withdraw from the case, requesting two months for the Public Defender Services (PDS) to find Thompson a replacement.

The prosecution opposed the request, exclaiming “This case needs to be set for trial,” noting that Thompson’s case has been delayed for nearly a year despite a timely indictment.

Judge Brandt ruled she would give the defense no more than 30 days to transfer the case to a new defense attorney.

A status hearing to set a trial date is scheduled for May 17.