DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan sentenced a homicide defendant to 10 years of imprisonment after carefully considering the purpose of criminal sentences on Oct. 10.
Craig McKinney, 48, was originally charged with second-degree murder while armed for shooting 45-year-old Adam Dove on March 8, 2024 on the 1400 block of Ridge Place, SE. Dove died from four gunshot wounds to his head, chest, forearm, and hip.
McKinney pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed on May 7. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to sentence him between seven-and-a-half-to-ten-and-a-half years of imprisonment.
At sentencing, Judge Ryan said punishment, deterrence, and rehabilitation are the three purposes of sentencing in a criminal case. “Rehabilitation is not an afterthought, but it is something that has to follow the appropriate punishment and deterrence for the crime,” said the judge.
“No sentence I impose will bring back Adam Dove,” said Judge Ryan, acknowledging there will be a lack of satisfaction on either side following the sentencing.
The prosecutor requested McKinney serve 10-and-a-half years for “the tragic and really unnecessary loss of Adam Dove’s life.”
Dove’s mother said her son went through his own trials and tribulations throughout his life, but “there’s nothing on this earth that warrants a person to take another person’s life.”
“I miss my father,” said Dove’s daughter, continuing as tears streamed down her face, “I miss him very much. He was a great person, a great dad.”
Although she acknowledged it would not bring her brother back, Dove’s sister requested McKinney serve the maximum sentence.
“The day my brother died, a part of me died that day with him. The way he left this earth, so violently, and so harshly, that’s what breaks my heart for him,” said Dove’s sister.
“It’s inexcusable to pull out a firearm and deal with confrontation in that manner,” the prosecutor said.
Terrance Austin, McKinney’s attorney, asked for a seven-and-a-half year sentence.
Austin said “chaos” is the only way to describe McKinney’s life experiences. Austin asserted that McKinney did not feel safe in his home or community growing up because his father abused his mother and he was bullied in school.
According to Austin, McKinney’s substance abuse started when he was eight and continued his entire life. McKinney also struggles with mental health issues including bipolar and anxiety disorders, said Austin.
Austin also noted this is McKinney’s first felony conviction, despite his trauma, and his last case was a misdemeanor in 2008.
“I want to take responsibility for the part I played,” said McKinney, “I’m sorry for the mistake I made. I hurt a lot of people. I know not now, but hopefully in the future, I can be forgiven.”
Austin said McKinney needs further assistance and support to deal with his substance abuse, mental health and trauma. “A life caged in a prison cell, for this person, is not the goal of the prison system,” concluded Austin.
Judge Ryan accepted the agreed-upon range in the plea agreement and sentenced McKinney to 10 years of imprisonment with five years of supervised release. McKinney will be required to register as a gun offender in DC upon his release.
Judge Ryan also granted Austin’s request to recommend McKinney serve his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland. In addition, McKinney was recommended for the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), a nine-month intensive treatment program conducted in a dedicated unit within the prison.
No further dates were set.
