Shooting Victim’s Family Seeks Redress in Wake of Plea Deal

By - June 21, 2023
Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Uncategorized | Victims |

(Updated with new comments from Chelsea Lewis, a lawyer for the Manyan family.)

On June 16, a retired lieutenant for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Jesse Porter Jr., agreed to a plea deal in a high-profile homicide case involving a library security officer.

Porter, 59, pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of unlawful discharge of a firearm despite being initially indicted by a grand jury on charges of second-degree murder while armed, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful discharge of a firearm for his involvement in the shooting of Maurica Manyan, 25, on Aug. 4, 2022. 

Manyan leaves behind a four-year-old-son.

The incident occurred on the 1800 block of Good Hope Road, SE during a mandatory training exercise for special officers, including Manyan. Witness testimony and surveillance footage confirms Porter, who was working as a private contractor, pulled a gun on Manyan and fired, in what the prosecutor says was “an attempt to be humorous.” 

As a result, Porter faces a maximum of 30-years imprisonment for involuntary manslaughter and a one-year imprisonment for unlawful discharge of a firearm. 

In a letter to DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein, Members of Manyan’s family expressed anger about what they believe is inadequate punishment for Porter’s crime and much of their ire was aimed at the prosecutor assigned to this case.

Manyan’s parents shared an interaction with the prosecutor in which they asked for Porter to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. 

They said, “She was heard snickering which raised even more concerns about her objectivity and impartiality.”  The family felt “completely humiliated and re-victimized.”

Manyan’s brother spoke about frustrations trying to get prosecutors to release surveillance video of the incident, stating, “They have been very reluctant to show the video. We have been asking for almost a year. We believe it’s being held because it proves what the jury thought- murder.”

Manyan’s parents also said “We have been misled and flat out lied to with regards to the plea agreement and plea bargaining process.” The family urged Judge Epstein to refer the prosecutor’s behavior for consideration of prosecutorial misconduct.

According to Chelsea Lewis, an attorney for the Manyan family, they will be pursuing other legal options in the days ahead in light of how they’ve been treated.  “It’s just continually adding insult to injury. We are hopeful that with the civil litigation, we will be able to give them some sort of resolve in dealing with what has been a very, very difficult experience,” she told D.C. Witness.

“The family is horrified at the fact that throughout this process they have been kept in the dark by the prosecution,” Lewis told reporters outside of the DC Superior Courthouse. 

“As survivors of homicide, their rights have been completely ignored. They have been left feeling as if Jesse Porter’s rights held more weight than their own,” she insisted. 

On behalf of Manyan’s father, who was overcome with emotion, attorney Chris Kleppin, told reporters that “it seems as though the district attorney was more intent on shielding her killer, Jesse Porter Jr., rather than seeking justice for my girl. To all fathers out there I urge you to look into our story. I endured the greatest pain that a father ever could endure, losing my daughter and witnessing the failure of justice.”

The prosecutor’s office said its approach was judicially correct.

In addition to time behind bars, Porter would serve no more than five-years on supervised release and be required to register as a gun offender in the District of Columbia. The remaining indictment charges would be dismissed as part of the deal.

Judge Epstein ruled in favor of Porter’s staying on release until sentencing, stating he had no criminal history, previous positive community engagement and full compliance as determining factors. 

Porter is released on his own recognizance until sentencing on Aug. 25.

Given the intense feelings about the negotiated plea, Lewis tells D.C. Witness, “That is only sort of a piece of what you could expect at sentencing when all family members and even those who are not in Maurica’s family but have a connection to the victim will be provided the opportunity to give victim impact statements in their effort to implore in the court’s decision when it comes to sentencing”