Victim’s Family Outraged Over Murder Defendant’s 5-Year Sentence

By D.C. Witness Staff - May 24, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

To the dismay of a victim’s family, a murder defendant was only sentenced to five years in prison.

Koonce Wright pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for shooting his co-worker Brian Gibson, 45, on the 6900 block of Georgia Avenue, NW on December 8, 2017.

The prosecutor said that Gibson’s family was opposed to the plea deal because it did not take the defendant’s conduct into account. However, DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe said he believed the length of the sentence in question was appropriate.

Judge Iscoe said the sentence was based on several factors, including the regret Wright, 60, expressed for his actions, the “moving” letters written by Wright’s family, and the circumstances under which the shooting had taken place.

Wright will be required to serve five additional years on supervised release after completing his prison term.

During the sentencing, Gibson’s cousin read a victim impact statement on behalf of the victim’s mother. In the letter, Gibson’s mother described the severe anguish that she and the rest of the family experienced as a result of Gibson’s death.

In the letter, the mother said that she has suffered severe consequences, such as sleepless nights, loss of appetite and questioning her religious faith. She also said her other son was especially traumatized since he was very close with Gibson.

The mother told the judge that she wanted “to take away the defendant’s freedom forever, just as he took away [her] son’s life.”

In addition to accepting the plea, Judge Iscoe also ordered Wright to register as a gun offender.

According to court documents, Wright and Gibson were both employed as shuttle bus drivers. Wright said Gibson attacked him and that he shot him out of self-defense.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department found Gibson unconscious and unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene.