DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee imposed a five-and-a-half year sentence on June 4 for assault defendant Christopher Cary, 36.
On Feb. 4, Cary pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon for a stabbing that injured one and occurred on Feb. 29, 2024 at the 3000 block of 16th Street, NW.
Janai Reed, Cary’s attorney, requested that Judge Milton impose a sentence of 28-to-33 months of straight incarceration without parole. Reed drew attention to his struggle with bipolar disorder and an addiction to PCP.
“The Mr. Cary that I know has a mental health issue that I don’t know he recognizes,” Reed said. “I say these things so that the court will know that I don’t believe that this would happen if there was no mental illness.”
In an effort to provide an impact statement, the prosecution reached out to the victim via text message. She responded saying that as a result of the incident, she required emergency surgery on her kidneys.
“I can’t sleep,” she said, “I have a lot of pain in my back.”
The prosecution told Judge Lee that they “recommend a lengthy period of incarceration,” further claiming that what Cary did has left the complainant afraid to be in her own home. “This didn’t have to happen,” said the prosecutor.
Judge Lee imposed a sentence of 66 months, also requesting that Cary also engage in personal assessment and care for his mental health and drug issues.
No further dates were set.
