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By
Laura Berol
- November 22, 2024
Court
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Daily Stories
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stabbing
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Suspects
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DC Superior Court Judge Heidi Pasichow imposed the sentence she had originally suspended for Demario Thornton on Nov. 22, due to reports from the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) of his noncompliance and rearrests.
Thornton, 22, pleaded guilty on Oct. 27, 2023, to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon. The charge stemmed from a non-fatal stabbing on Aug. 31, 2023, at the intersection of North Capitol and P Streets, NW. In exchange for his guilty plea, the prosecution agreed to dismiss all other charges in the case and not request a sentence above the midpoint of the sentencing guidelines.
Judge Pasichow sentenced Thornton on Jan. 22 to 20 months in prison with 10 months of that time suspended, giving him credit for time served. She also gave him 18 months of probation and a suspended sentence of three years of supervised release.
Judge Pasichow revoked Thornton’s probation and ordered him back to jail on Oct. 21 for the violations.
The prosecution told Judge Pasichow at the resentencing hearing that Thornton had repeatedly ignored his curfew and failed to charge his GPS monitoring device during probation. They also said he had been arrested in Maryland and DC.
Court documents show Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers arrested Thornton on Sept. 13 and issued a misdemeanor charge of attempted threats to do bodily harm. According to arrest records, a witness said Thornton threatened, “I’m going to shoot you and your house up,” when the witness called the police over Thornton’s verbal altercation with a woman.
“The defense is asking the court to give Mr. Thornton another chance,” said Gregg Baron, Thornton’s attorney.
Baron said Thornton has strong community support. At the hearing were Thornton’s mother, his god-sister, and his caseworker from Better Morning, a mental health and social service agency certified by the DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH).
“I think it was a medication issue. He was also not totally understanding the gravity of things,” Baron said. He told the court Thornton had not been taking his prescribed medication regularly because of side effects. He suggested the problem might be solved by consultation with a psychiatrist.
Baron said, if Thornton were allowed to continue his probation, his caseworker could help him obtain housing and therapy. He said Thornton could return to the job as a security officer he had before being sent to jail.
“He wants to be able to be home so he can share in the burdens, financial and otherwise, where he’s living with his mother,” Baron said. “He’s also expecting a child in June.”
According to Baron, the past month Thornton has spent in jail has made him willing to stay home as required by the court when he’s not at work or treatment.
“So he was at home. I tried that. I’m not going to give him another chance.” Judge Pasichow said. “When he finishes this sentence, he’ll have to address his next case. I hope this stops.”
In addition to ordering Thornton to serve his suspended sentence, Judge Pasichow required him to participate in anger management counseling, vocational training, and assessment and treatment related to drugs, alcohol, and mental health.
No further dates were set in this case.