Judge Sentences Defendant Convicted Of Carrying A Pistol Without A License

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

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

On Jan. 19, Edward Morgan, 40, boarded a Metro bus heading east on the 1300 block of U Street, NW while carrying a Smith & Wesson revolver and 41 rounds in his backpack. Morgan pleaded guilty to carrying a pistol without a license on Feb. 21.

Judge John Campbell sentenced Morgan to 18 months in jail and three years of supervised release. 

He did not grant the defendant’s request for a split sentence, which would allow Morgan to serve a portion of his sentence on supervised release. The judge said he denied the request because of the defendant’s record of noncompliance with the terms of his probation in other cases.

“When he’s not incarcerated, he commits a new crime,” said the prosecution said, asking for 24 months.

Defense attorney Terrence Austins said his client should be given only 18 months in jail and three years of supervised release. 

He said the majority of Morgan’s convicted offenses were drug-related and that he was cooperative with Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers when they boarded the bus to conduct a search on him.

Austin also said that Morgan was already being punished by being held in the DC Jail for seven months, four of which were during the COVID-19 pandemic, prior to his sentencing.

“He’s been punished, and he’ll continue to be punished staying in jail during COVID-19,” Austin said.