Murder Co-Defendants Plead Guilty

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During a status hearing on Nov. 8, two murder defendants plead guilty. Kevon Pinkett and Keith Johnson plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for their involvement in the stabbing of Edwin Richardson on the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE on April 5. Both Pinkett, 19, and Johnson, 26, chose to waive their rights to DNA testing and the right to a trial. They also opted not to have a preliminary hearing which was scheduled to take place on Oct. 18. Defense counsel Dominique Winter and Lisbeth Sapirstein informed the judge the plea agreements had a maximum sentence of 30 years of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release. The prosecution told the court that both defendants were seen on surveillance video chasing Richardson with a group of individuals when they stabbed Richardson and continued to assault him even after his body went motionless. The prosecution added that the defendants were not acting in self defense. DC Superior Court Judge Dana Dayson accepted both defendant’s guilty pleas. Pinkett and Johnson were they only individuals apprehended for the murder. Sentencing for both Pinkett and Johnson is scheduled for Jan. 17, 2020. Follow this case