DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz sentenced six defendants on Oct. 30 for their involvement in a mass shooting that killed three. The judge singled out what he termed the ring leaders that terrorized a neighborhood for prison terms as long as 123 years.
Erwin Dubose, 31, Kamar Queen, 28, Damonta Thompson, 28, and William Johnson-Lee, 22, were convicted of conspiracy, premeditated first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, among other charges, for their involvement in the mass shooting that killed 31-year-old Donnetta Dyson, 24-year-old Keenan Braxton, and 37-year-old Johnny Joyner. The incident occurred on the 600 block of Longfellow Street, NW on Sept. 4, 2021, and injured three additional individuals.
Mussay Rezene, 32, and Toyia Johnson, 53, were convicted of accessory after the fact while armed and tampering with physical evidence for their involvement in assisting the other defendants in discarding evidence and avoiding arrest.
“Over four years ago, gunfire cut through a city block,” the prosecutors told Judge Kravitz, highlighting the “brutality, shocking violence, and devastation brought by the defendants.”
According to the prosecution, the defendants “turned a block into a battlefield… those images are indelible.”
“What we cannot quantify is how many lives were impacted,” the prosecutor insisted, adding “we cannot allow this history to repeat itself.”
Braxton and a surviving victim’s aunt stated she was “standing ten toes down for my nephew,” adding she was grateful for the conviction. She deemed the defendants “monsters, serial killers.”
“DC can rest assured now that they’ll be behind bars for the rest of their lives,” she said.
“I just ask for justice,” Dyson’s mom told Judge Kravitz, asking him to understand her impact statement based on a letter she filed before the sentencing. The letter was not read in court.
The prosecution argued the defendants committed “one of the most horrific acts of violence the District has seen in decades,” and insisted “there were so many others that were put at risk,” by the defendants’ actions.
The prosecution requested Judge Kravitz impose a sentence of 240 years for Queen, 246 years for Dubose, and 25 years for Rezene, citing their leadership roles. According to the prosecution, they were the principal organizers of the attack and all have a history of glorifying violence.
Prosecutors stated that although Rezene was not a shooter, he intended to be but did not show up to the scene fast enough.
The parties agreed that the shooting was in retaliation for a shooting aimed at Queen and his friends earlier that day, at a house occupied by his grandmother and mother.
However, the prosecution stated that did not excuse their actions. “[Queen] took matters into his own hands,” instead of calling the police, and the defendants all celebrated together after the incident.
“Rather than becoming a better man, he turned to violence,” the prosecution said, highlighting Queen’s history of criminal activity. According to the prosecution, he was released from prison for a shooting months before the mass shooting.
Prosecutors also requested that Judge Kravitz impose a 193-years-and-two-month sentence for Johnson-Lee, 158-years-and-four-month sentence for Thompson, and two years of incarceration for Johnson.
According to the prosecution, Johnson-Lee deserved a lower sentence despite being a shooter due to his lack of criminal history and his young age at the time of the incident. The prosecution argued Johnson-Lee was the “most lethal of the shooters at Longfellow,” but has expressed intent in changing his life since his conviction.
As for Thompson, the prosecution argued he deserved a shorter sentence because he was not a shooter and acted only as the getaway driver. However, they stated it was clear he was “ready and willing to answer the call in any form it came,” and the incident wouldn’t have happened without him.
The prosecution also stated Johnson should be incarcerated, rather than serving a probationary sentence, due to her “truly stunning persistence in deceiving” officers.
The prosecution insisted that the defendants have refused to take accountability for their actions and have no remorse.
Michael Bruckheim, Dubose’s attorney, argued that Dubose has participated in multiple programs at the jail to help him become a better person. He requested a sentence that would allow Dubose to use the lessons he’s learned from the programs in the community.
“He will be much older, wiser, and hopefully better,” Bruckheim stated, asking for an opportunity to “live a little of life without incarceration.”
Camille Wagner, Rezene’s attorney, stated the prosecution’s request was “egregious,” and requested he be sentenced within the guidelines. She also requested he go to Federal Correction Institution (FCI) Pollock in Louisiana to continue participating in trade and career programs.
Peter Fayne, Johnson-Lee’s attorney, requested leniency and a sentence at the bottom of the sentencing guidelines. He also requested that all sentences run concurrently with each other, despite DC code stating that sentences for incidents with multiple victims must be served consecutively.
Elizabeth Weller, Thompson’s defense attorney, stated he would be asserting his right to an appeal, and stated that although the incident destroyed the lives of many people, it also destroyed his family.
Weller requested Judge Kravitz recommend he be placed at a FCI that is near New Orleans so he has access to family.
Charles Murdter, Thompson’s other attorney, read a letter written by Thompson to the court. “I truly apologize,” Thompson wrote, adding “I ask for your mercy.”
Brian McDaniel, Queen’s attorney, deemed him a charismatic individual with “a great deal of potential.”
“Queen sits here an individual who is redeemable,” McDaniel stated, asking he be given a lighter sentence than the prosecution requested.
“I ain’t a cold-blooded nothing,” Queen stated, citing prosecutors’ prior statements, and added he is “remorseful for what happened, but not taking accountability.”
David Akulian, Johnson’s attorney, requested Judge Kravitz impose a probationary sentence. He cited her family’s support, and stated she has been fully compliant with release conditions for multiple years.
“The facts of the case are profound enough to speak for themselves,” Judge Kravitz stated, adding he understood the gravity of his decision for sentencing, which weighed on him heavily since the defendants were convicted.
“[The defendants] committed an incredibly dangerous violent act,” said Judge Kravitz, insisting that the community “deserves meaningful protection from them and they deserve significant sentences.”
Judge Kravitz claimed the defendants are complex humans, and should not only be judged by their actions on the day of the incident, despite it “surely [being] the worst thing each of them has done – the humanity of defendants in this case must be respected.”
According to Kravitz, Dubose and Queen were deserving of the greatest punishment because of their criminal history and their leadership roles. “Their behavior was simply unacceptable in a civilized society.”
He imposed an aggregate sentence of 123 years for Dubose, 120 years for Queen, and 105 years for Johnson-Lee – all of their charges’ sentences will run consecutively.
Thompson was sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment, due to a mitigating factor that Judge Kravitz stated allowed the sentences to run concurrently rather than consecutively. According to Judge Kravitz, if he imposed consecutive sentences for Thompson, it would amount to 105 years in prison.
“In my opinion, that would be excessive by a lot and a manifestation of injustice,” for a getaway driver, Judge Kravitz said. “He’s being punished significantly.”
As for Rezene, despite the prosecution’s argument that Rezene wanted to be a shooter, “we punish people for what they did, not what they wanted to do.” Judge Kravitz imposed a three year sentence for Rezene, which will run consecutively to all other sentences he faces, including 50 years for the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Brayan Villatoro on Sept. 18, 2021, and 20 years of imprisonment for the fatal stabbing of 34-year-old Darrow Johnson at the DC Jail on Aug. 17, 2023.
Judge Kravitz stated Johnson lived a “decent and law abiding life,” since her arrest in 2021, and despite her “meaningful but mindful role,” he imposed 24 months of incarceration, suspended, with a year of probation.
According to Judge Kravitz, it is “unclear if she was acting out of love, loyalty, or fear… she was doing another person’s bidding.”
Thompson, Queen, and Johnson-Lee will remain at the DC Jail until January in order to complete plumbing programs and GED classes.
All the defendants intend to appeal but no further dates were set.
