Judge Sentences Defendant to 6 Months in Jail

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 28, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant to six months of incarceration after he entered into a plea agreement with the prosecution.

Derrick Giles, 26, had two misdemeanor charges and one domestic violence charge from an incident that occurred on June 14.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest charges that he picked up in one of the misdemeanor cases, as well as attempted threats to do bodily harm and Temporary Protective Order (TPO) violation charges he picked up in his domestic violence case. As part of the plea deal, the prosecution dismissed the other misdemeanor case, in which he was charged with simple assault and destruction of property less than $1,000.

Judge John McCabe sentenced the defendant to a total of 180 days of incarceration. 

He received a 90 day suspended sentence for attempted threats and 30 days for the TPO violation. He also received 90 days for assaulting a police officer and 30 days for resisting arrest.

According to the prosecution’s proffer of facts, Giles returned to the home of a complainant who had filed a Temporary Protective Order (TPO) against him on April 21. The defendant threatened to kill the complainant, and then struggled against and kicked the responding officers who were apprehending him. 

At the time of his arrest, the defendant was on probation for two prior domestic violence cases, including one with the same victim. He was also on parole for a robbery with a deadly weapon case from Maryland.

After Giles serves his time in jail, he is expected to be returned to Maryland to face his parole warrant.

The prosecution said the defendant’s case was “not just a run of the mill TPO violation case,” because the defendant decided to bring danger upon the victim.

Both Giles and David Richter, his attorney, said that the defendant needs to continue receiving mental health services. The prosecution additionally mentioned that he should attend anger management sessions.

“At the end of the day, he does need help,” the victim said. “But if y’all let him out and he does the same s*** anyway, then what?”