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By
Adriana Marroquin
- January 3, 2025
Court
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Daily Stories
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Shooting
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Suspects
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A shooting defendant’s attorney told DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt her client maintains his innocence and plans to appeal his conviction after he was sentenced to 24 years of imprisonment on Jan. 3.
On Aug. 7, 2024, Deon Cannon, 30, was convicted of assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed of a minor, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon of a minor, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, a misdemeanor charge of possession of an unregistered firearm, and a misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of ammunition.
The charges stemmed from his involvement in a shooting on Sept. 5, 2021 on the 2700 block of Terrace Road, SE, in which prosecutors claim he shot at an individual and his six-year-old son with intent to kill. No injuries were reported during the incident.
During the hearing, the prosecution requested Judge Brandt sentence Cannon to 30 years of incarceration, arguing that, “it’s a miracle that no one was hurt in this case.”
“This was a plan,” the prosecutor insisted, adding, “the plan could have caused indiscriminate harm.” According to the prosecution, Cannon and his accomplices waited for the victim and his son to leave a park before “ambushing” them with 25 shots.
“The timing was not a coincidence – he’s hiding because he wants to ambush [the victim],” the prosecutor told Judge Brandt.
The prosecutor stated the victim shot back at the assailants, which led to his arrest on charges of illegally possessing a firearm despite having a conviction with a sentence greater than a year.
“It is truly a blessing no one was hurt,” the prosecutor stated, arguing that Cannon has had multiple opportunities to change. According to the prosecutor, Cannon had only been on release for 36 days after he was convicted and served a sentence in connection to another shooting incident, in which a person was injured.
Quo Judkins, Cannon’s attorney, alerted Judge Brandt he plans to appeal his conviction, stating that Cannon continues to assert his innocence. However, Judkins asked Judge Brandt to impose a 15 year sentence, suspending all but 10 years, since he asked to get the help he needs while incarcerated.
Judkins requested Judge Brandt consider the “lack of loss of life,” in the case, arguing she did not aim to diminish the allegations or convictions, but letters of support for Cannon showed he is an individual that’s “on a path to give back to the community.”
“This was an exercise in urban gun violence,” Judge Brandt stated, adding “had any of those bullets actually connected with human flesh – this could have been a higher death toll.”
“Sprays of bullets flying through a neighborhood,” Judge Brandt said, “I can only imagine what would have happened if [the victim] didn’t have the gun,” stating she did not condone his illegal possession of a weapon, but “[the victim] breaking the law might have saved his and his son’s life.”
She imposed a sentence of 12 years for both assault with intent to kill charges, which will run consecutive to each other – totaling 24 years of incarceration.
He was also sentenced to five years for each charge of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, five years for both assault with a dangerous weapon charges, two years for unlawfully possessing a firearm with a prior conviction, two years for carrying a pistol without a license, one year for possessing a large capacity ammunition feeding device, and 180 days for each of the misdemeanor charges. These sentences will run concurrently to the 24 years.
Cannon was also ordered to pay $1,200 to the Victims of Violent Crime Fund (VVCF), as well as register as a gun offender.
No further dates were set.