Retired Policeman Sentenced to Three Years for Killing Over Victim’s Family Objections

By - August 25, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On August 25, DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein sentenced retired Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) lieutenant Jesse Porter Jr. to three years of incarceration. 

Porter, 60, agreed to a plea deal in June to one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of unlawful discharge of a firearm for the fatal shooting of Maurica Manyan on Aug. 4, 2022. The shooting occurred on the 1800 block of Good Hope Road SE at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library.

Manyan, a 25-year-old library security trainee officer and mother, attended a mandatory handcuff and baton training run by Porter’s security training company, Porter Consulting and Expert Tactical Training. 

Court documents and witness testimony describe the incident as a joke gone wrong. Manyan is seen on surveillance footage stepping out of the group before a photo to remove her face mask before Porter pulls the firearm, firing one shot to Manyan’s chest. 

During the two-hour hearing, the Court first heard emotional testimonials from family members and friends of Manyan. 

In speaking on the impact of her untimely death, family members were overcome with emotion, still not having answers as to “why.” 

Manyan left behind a now five-year-old son whose struggles and pain were discussed in the hearing. Manyan’s grandmother recalls interactions with the child’s “bursting out in tears,” asking where his mom is and why she had to die?

Manyan’s cousin spoke directly to Porter, “It’s the life you didn’t allow her to live. She never got to get married. She didn’t get to bring her son to the first day of school. You took away a life with his mother.”

Manyan’s mother shared about her frustration towards the plea deal, “The grand jury got the verdict right…he should go for the same amount of time the grand jury found him guilty for,” referencing the grand jury’s indictment of second-degree murder. 

Manyan’s father stared down Porter, asking him, “For what reason? Don’t look at me, speak man.” Then, turning to Judge Epstein, saying, “He took my only daughter away from me; look at my grandson, man.”

Then: “We can’t live without her, honestly. Honestly Judge, you got to give him what he deserves.”

Some family members and friends argued Manyan turned down romantic advances from Porter and claimed he was visibly drunk in the surveillance footage. 

Defense counsel for Porter, Brian McDaniel, shut down these claims, stating the allegations are “an attempt to try and make it make sense, but it doesn’t make sense, it won’t make sense.” The prosecutor did not provide any evidence supporting the family’s claims.

McDaniel stressed his client’s acceptance of responsibility and negligence. While requesting a suspended sentence, McDaniel spoke on Porter’s 33 years of service supporting the criminal justice system. 

A friend of Porter’s who lost a family member to homicide said, “We have talked at length. I feel it in my heart this was a terrible, horrible mistake.”

When speaking to the Manyan family, Porter said, “I pray every day for words I can try to say. There’s nothing I can say.

‘For anyone to think I wasn’t sorry for what happened that’s not true… I am just so sorry, so sorry.”

Judge Epstein felt Porter was “genuinely remorseful for what he did,” emphasizing this was not a standard act of gun violence and the “main problem with gun violence in our community is not accidental, it’s murder.”

Given these factors, Judge Epstein imposed the minimum sentence of 36 months, despite the prosecution’s asking for 84 months. Even though the family feels Porter is getting a slap on the wrist, Judge Epstein stated he “can’t sentence out of anger.”

Family members and friends of Manyan leaving the courtroom, yelled at Judge Epstein and Porter, outraged by the outcome.  

In addition to prison time, Porter will serve five years on supervised release and must register as a gun offender. 

 U.S. Marshals took Porter into custody after his request for self-surrender was denied.