A young Washington man has been convicted in the slaying of an honor roll student and the wounding of a second teenager in a random attack. Kwan Kearney, who’s now 20, faces up to life in prison after a D.C. Superior Court jury found him guilty of first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill while armed and other crimes. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 10.
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“In this tragic case, one teenager killed another for no reason at all,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen Jr. “[Friday’s] first-degree murder conviction reflects this community’s resolve to protect our neighborhoods from those who are intent on bringing murder and mayhem to our city streets.”
On the evening of Nov. 8, 2010, 17-year-old Joseph Sharps Jr., had just finished his music homework. He was a honor roll student at Spingarn High School, where he played on the varsity basketball team.
Joseph was visiting with a 18-year-old friend at his home in Northeast Washington when the two decided to go buy cigarettes.
Joseph borrowed $2 from his mother, and he and his friend walked to a nearby gas station.
On their way back, the teenagers passed Kearney and two other men on the sidewalk in the 1300 block of Holbrook Street NE.
<br/><small><a href=”http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1300+block+of+Holbrook+Street+NE.&oe=utf-8&client=seamonkey-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&hq=&hnear=1300+Holbrook+St+NE,+Washington,+District+of+Columbia+20002&t=m&vpsrc=0&ll=38.902656,-76.984034&spn=0.013359,0.01708&z=14&iwloc=A&source=embed” style=”color:#0000FF;text-align:left”>View Larger Map</a></small></div> <p><span class=”BodyCopy”>It was about 8:30 p.m., and Joseph had one hand in his pockets and was talking on his cell phone, prosecutors said. Before that night, the two young men had never encountered each other.</span></p> <p><span class=”BodyCopy”>Kearney bumped Joseph, prosecutors said.</span></p> <p><span class=”BodyCopy”>”Stop pump-faking,” Kearney said. “What are you reaching for?” </span></p> <p><span class=”BodyCopy”>According to the testimony of an eyewitness, Joseph raised his hands and shrugged, as if to say that he had no idea what Kearney was talking about.</span></p> <p><span class=”BodyCopy”>That’s when Kearney then pulled a Colt .38-caliber revolver from his waistband and shot Joseph in the belly.</span></p> <p><span class=”BodyCopy”>Kearney kept firing. Joseph’s friend was struck in the leg, and Joseph was also hit in the leg and shoulder.</span></p> <p><span class=”BodyCopy”>One of Kearney’s associates also fired a weapon during the attack before the men ran from the scene.</span></p> <p><span class=”BodyCopy”>With his cell phone, Joseph managed to call 911, police said.</span></p> <p><span class=”BodyCopy”>”I’m hit. I’m down on Holbrook,” Joseph told dispatchers, before he bled to death on the street.</span></p> <p><span class=”BodyCopy”>Kearney was arrested eight days later. A co-defendant earlier pleaded guilty to charges in the case.</span></p> <p><span style=”font-style:italic;” class=”EndEmailTag”><i><a href=” mailto:[email protected] “>[email protected]</a></i></span></p>
