Judge Sentences Defendant

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 27, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant on July 24.

Ahmed Hassan pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm in 2019. The 52-year-old  pointed a gun at three individuals with whom he had an altercation with on the 1900 block of 9th Street, NW. He was seen priming his gun before being tackled by the individuals.

Judge Robert Salerno sentenced the defendant to one year of confinement plus three years of supervised probation.

During the hearing, the prosecution asked that Hassan be sentenced to 24 months of incarceration. The prosecutor said the defendant committed a series of gun-related offenses in multiple states across the country.

“There’s never been more than 5 years without a felony,” said the prosecution. 

The prosecutor said the only exception was when the defendant was incarcerated for nine years in the state of California for threatening to shoot a person.

But, defense attorney Jon Norris said his client should be given only one year of incarceration and three years of supervised release. 

He said Hassan did not start the altercation and was outnumbered three to one before he acted in what he wrongfully thought was self defense.

Norris also suggested that an intervention plan including trauma counseling be added to the defendant’s sentence.

Judge Salerno agreed. Hassan’s case “may not have been an instance of aggressive conduct,” the judge said.

The judge also added an intervention plan to the defendant’s sentence.

Hassan must register as a gun offender with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and pay $100 to the Victims of Violent Crime fund.