Judge Sentences Defendant to Year of Probation

By D.C. Witness Staff - August 7, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Probation | Suspects | Victims |

On Aug. 6, a DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant to 180 days, all of which were suspended, plus one year or probation.

Eric Dease pleaded guilty to simple assault and bail violation.

As part of a plea agreement with the prosecution, his other charges for simple assault, bail violation and attempted threats to do bodily harm were dropped.

Judge John McCabe ordered Dease, 31, to pay $100 to the Victims of Violent Crimes Act fund. 

As conditions of his probation, the defendant must participate in a mental health evaluation.

He was also ordered to stay away from and not Harass, Assault, Threaten or Stalk (HATS) the victim. 

The victim said he incurred large medical costs from a shoulder injury that resulted from the assault. He also said the incident has made him scared to walk home, which he never experienced before in the 30 years he has lived in DC. 

“I was most hurt by the fact he had so many friends that came to his rescue and I was so alone,” he said. 

At around 7:20 p.m. on May 24, Dease followed the victim on the 5400 block of South Dakota Avenue, NE. The defendant got agitated that he was ignoring him and punched the victim’s lip and head., according to court documents.