Shooting Defendant Sentenced to 14 Months

By Yessica Osorio - October 23, 2024
Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

DC Superior Court Judge Heidi Pasichow sentenced a shooting defendant to 14 months on Oct. 22.

On Aug. 6, James Guillory, 24, pleaded guilty to assault with significant bodily injury and carrying a pistol without a license outside of their home or business for his involvement in a shooting on the 4600 block of Hillside Road, SE on June 15, 2023. Two individuals sustained injuries.

According to court documents, Guillory shot a male in the right thigh and a female on her nose. Both individuals were neighbors of Guillory. 

Guillory’s attorney, Vasha Govindaraju, claimed that one of the victims approached one of Guillory’s family members with a knife, prompting Guillory to react violently.

Prosecution asked for a 14 month sentence for both charges and that they run concurrently. They also requested he be sentenced to three years of supervised release.

Govindaraju asked for a short-split sentence, meaning he would spend more time on probation than in jail, as Guillory had previously served a 24 month sentence to a prior case. His attorney spoke about his childhood and how it was traumatic, leading Guillory to be in a state of hypervigilance and to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Govindaraju mentioned that once Guillory is released, he will begin individual trauma therapy, according to a representative from the Office of Rehabilitation Services.

Guillory gave a brief statement in which he apologized to his family, the victims, and his community. He said “…given another chance, I guarantee the court will never see me again.”

Judge Pasichow spoke about his past criminal history, making it a concern to the Court. Guillory has had prior charges involving weapons, domestic violence, and assault.

Guillory was sentenced to 14 months for both charges to run concurrent, three years of supervised release. He will need to register as a gun offender for an additional two years and maintain employment, refrain from substances, and stay away from the victims and victims’ families.