Manslaughter Defendant Sentenced to 11-and-a-Half Years

By Maren Fagan [former] - November 12, 2024
Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

Three family members of a victim spoke and read letters at the sentencing of a homicide defendant Nov. 8 before DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe. 

Damon Clark, 27, pleaded guilty on Sept. 3 to voluntary manslaughter while armed for the fatal shooting of 46-year-old Jimmy Thomas Jr. on March, 28, 2024, following an argument on the 1200 block of Mount Olivet Road, NE. 

The prosecution brought three of Thomas’ family members to speak, including Thomas’ mother and two of Thomas’ sisters. One of Thomas’ sisters also read a note from Thomas’ oldest daughter. 

Thomas’ mother said that Thomas was a “good son, a happy son” who was involved in church life. Thomas’ mother said that there is no sentencing which would “bring my son back” because Thomas’ life had been “taken from us.” 

Thomas’ oldest sister, tearfully, read a letter that Thomas’ daughter had written for the court. In the letter, Thomas’ daughter wrote that “there isn’t one day or perhaps a minute that goes by where I’m not brought back.” 

“I’m truly traumatized,” Thomas’ daughter added, saying that “things just haven’t been the same since.”

“I have questioned many things in my life, but have never questioned his love,” Thomas’ daughter wrote in the letter. Thomas’ daughter was eight months pregnant at the time of Thomas’ death, and, according to Thomas’ oldest sister, Thomas had looked forward to becoming a grandfather. 

Thomas’ oldest sister said, learning of Thomas’ death, that she experiences the same pain because she “never gets through it.”

Thomas’ other sister said Thomas “did not deserve to die” because he was “a friend to many.” 

The sister told Clark that she has “no hate in my heart” and hopes that Clark serves a sentence to the fullest extent possible and “comes out a changed man.” 

After Thomas’ family spoke, the prosecution played a surveillance video that, according to the prosecutor, showed the defendant, Clark, shooting Thomas after the argument. 

In considering the recommended sentence, the prosecution said that Clark did turn himself into the police and cooperated with law enforcement. The prosecution asked for 11-and-a-half years. 

Clark’s defense attorney, Quo Judkins, said that Clark takes full responsibility and has remorse for his actions, asking for a sentence of 90 months. Clark spoke to the court, apologizing to the Thomas family and his own. 

Judge O’Keefe said that he applauds Clark for turning himself in to the police, yet caused pain to the Thomas family and his own. “Just saying sorry is not enough,” Judge O’Keefe said. 

Judge O’Keefe’s sentenced Clark to 11-and-a-half years with five years of supervised release once he serves his time. 

No further dates were set.