A homicide defendant, who is already serving a sentence for another murder, accepted a plea deal one month prior to his trial before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on May 1.
Mark Price, 31, was originally charged with first-degree murder while armed, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, threatening to kidnap or injure a person, first-degree burglary while armed, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction greater than a year. The charges stem from his involvement in the fatal shooting of 47-year-old Andre Young on July 30, 2018 on the 1500 block of 19th Street, SE.
Price’s trial was scheduled to start on June 1. At the hearing, the prosecutor said if the case had proceeded to trial they would have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Price drove to the incident location in a silver BMW and fired repeated shots at Young, striking him once in the head. Price acted knowingly and intentionally and not by accident, mistake, or in self-defense.
The deal Price accepted from prosecutors required he plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed in exchange for prosecutors dismissing all remaining charges. Parties agreed to a 12-year prison sentence, subject to Judge Kravitz’s approval at sentencing.
In addition, Price’s sentence will run concurrently with the 50-year prison sentence he’s currently serving for his involvement as the getaway driver in the mass shooting that fatally injured 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson on the 300 block of 53rd Street, NE on July 16, 2018.
Judge Kravitz noted that without the agreement, voluntary manslaughter while armed carries a maximum sentence of 30 years of imprisonment.
Price’s attorney, Destiny Fullwood-Singh, asked to delay sentencing because her client was on the waitlist for the “Lead Up” program at the DC Jail, a workforce development and education program. The prosecutor had no objection.
Price’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 25.
