Two Juvenile Girls Convicted of Stomping Elderly Man to Death

By Jeff Levine - November 22, 2024
Daily Stories | Homicides | Juveniles | Suspects | Victims |

DC Superior Court Judge Kendra Briggs imposed a second-degree murder conviction on two juvenile girls for their roles in the fatal stomping of Reggie Brown, a disabled 64-year-old man. 

In her ruling from the bench on Nov. 18, Judge Briggs said she reviewed surveillance videos and eyewitness accounts as well as a police interview with one of two defendants in the courtroom to support her verdict.

However, out of 94 exhibits the judge singled out a 55-second sequence of cell phone video taken by one of the five original co-defendants narrating the relentless beating with laughter and cheers of celebration. 

“The video graphically shows a portion of the brutal beating of Reggie Brown,” said the judge.  The defendants, “viciously kicked him as pools of blood poured from his head,” said Judge Briggs.

Originally, the girls aged 12-to-15 at the time of the attack, were charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Today’s verdict for the then 14-year-old who faced six charges was– for first-degree murder, not guilty; guilty of second-degree murder, not guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, not guilty of assault with intent to kill, guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon, shod foot, guilty of conspiracy to commit assault.  

The juvenile who was 13-year-old during the incident was found not guilty before the judge of first-degree murder, guilty of second-degree murder, not guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, not guilty of assault with intent to kill, guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon, belt and shod foot, guilty of conspiracy to commit assault, guilty of tampering with evidence and guilty of conspiracy to commit tampering.  

She had been accused of trying to destroy the lurid cell phone video.

The incident occurred late at night on Oct. 17, 2023, on the 6200 block of Georgia Avenue, NW. 

As the judge described events leading up to the murder, the group of girls who were known to each other decided to meet up on Georgia Avenue with the expressed purpose of delivering a beating out of boredom shortly after midnight. 

There they encountered an unknown suspect in a blue coat, who according to evidence from earlier proceedings, had already begun to attack Brown as he fled into a dark alley hotly pursued by the group of six.  

As Judge Briggs put it, they were “planning to trash,” the victim, who suffered from numerous disabilities.  

Two of the five girls had earlier agreed to a guilty plea and a third struck a deal with prosecutors on Nov. 8.  Details of the pleas were not immediately available.

The pair who faced Judge Briggs at this hearing showed no emotion at the verdict as it was sternly delivered from the bench. 

However, earlier in the proceedings, a behavioral report for the youngest defendant indicated she had been involved in numerous violent confrontations while in the custody of the Department of Youth and Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) and that her compliance was unsatisfactory.  

All five defendants are currently in the custody of DYRS.

The packed courtroom included relatives from both the victim’s and defendant’s families who had reached out to each other offering support during the proceedings which started in August.

Outside of the courthouse two sisters from Brown’s family met with reporters and said that they were “pretty much satisfied” with the outcome.  However, they said they would not rest until the man in the blue coat is brought to justice whose identity, they say, is known in the neighborhood and likely to authorities. 

Further, they hope the defendants will reflect on what they have done.  

“So that this will not continue happening to other families…our fight is going to be to change the law from 21-year-old for juveniles, that they can stay in [custody], and possibly stay in for life,” said one of Brown’s sisters. 

Under current DC law, detained juveniles must be released when they are 21.  The approach attempts to blend rehabilitation with punishment. 

Sentencing for the youngest defendant is set for Dec. 4, the older girl will face disposition on Dec. 18.  Both proceedings will be before Judge Briggs.

D.C. Witness reached out to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to see if they know the identity of the fugitive in the blue coat; however the agency has not responded to inquires.  

r