Judge Suspends Murder Defendant’s Sentence

By D.C. Witness Staff - February 24, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Documents | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

A judge suspended a murder defendant’s sentence on Feb. 24.

Markel Ford, 20, was sentenced with negligent homicide for allegedly killing 51-year-old Sherron Pressley on the 1600 block of Kenilworth Avenue, NE with his car on Aug. 30, 2018. Both the victim and the suspect resided in Northeast DC at the time.

Ford was sentenced to a year and a half in prison for negligent homicide under the act. However, his sentence was suspended, and he was put on two years of probation and three years of supervised release. DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced Ford to the low end of the guidelines under the Youth Rehabilitation Act.

Judge Edelman did not order GPS monitoring for a murder defendant during a sentencing.

Defense Attorney, John Fowler, requested that Ford not be required to wear a GPS monitoring device. He also asked that Ford not be required to administer drug testing until further order from the court on Feb. 24.

Judge Edelman granted the request in part. He said Ford would not have to wear a GPS monitoring device without further order of the court due to the nature of the offense.

Judge Edelman said he will follow the case through the probation.

Ford originally fled the scene of the crime.

He was not arrested until Jan. 29, 2019, which was five months after the accident occurred. Ford accepted the prosecution’s plea, pleading guilty on Dec. 11, 2019.

“Let this be a wake up call for your life,” the victim’s brother said to Ford in regard to his actions. The victim’s family members were present during the sentencing.

A probation review hearing is scheduled to occur on May 29.