Judge Tells Defendant to ‘Take It One Day at a Time’

By D.C. Witness Staff - June 22, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Probation | Suspects | Victims |

A defendant pleaded guilty and received a 90-day sentence that was suspended on June 22.

Shannon McGhee, 37, was charged with simple assault and destruction of property less than $1,000 on March 16.

Prior to the plea agreement and sentencing, McGhee had two open domestic violence cases and multiple violations of probation for two other cases.

He was also arrested seven times in the past two years.

His defense attorneys, Sabitiyu Abou and Chantaye Redmon-Reid, suggested that McGhee’s recent behavior is the result of substance abuse and poor mental health. 

McGhee entered into a plea agreement with the prosecution in order to dismiss one of the assault charges and the destruction of property charge. The prosecution also said that they would not use any charges of contempt of court against McGhee. 

After the plea agreement was accepted, DC Superior Court Judge John McCabe decided to keep McGhee on probation by sentencing him to 45 days in prison for each assault charge that was not dismissed in the plea agreement. Judge McCabe suspended the confinement time.

McGhee will have to serve 12 months on probation.

Judge McCabe encouraged McGhee to continue his mental health and drug treatment, telling him to strongly consider in-patient drug treatment when facilities reopen.

McGhee said that he was completely committed to his rehabilitation, and that he has already had a “good four weeks”.

He said he has been on a mental health regimen for two months courtesy of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and that the department has an in-patient bed slotted for him once facilities reopen. 

McGhee is scheduled for another hearing to review the success of his probation on Aug. 24.