Two Teen Girls Found Guilty in Stomping Death of Disabled Man
Two teenage girls were found guilty on Monday of second-degree murder and other charges related to the brutal killing of a 64-year-old disabled man in Washington, D.C. Reggie Brown was stomped to death on October 17, 2023, after being randomly attacked by the teens.
The girls, aged 13 and 14, were also convicted of assault and conspiracy to commit assault. The 13-year-old was additionally found guilty of tampering with physical evidence.
The two girls are facing a sentence of imprisonment until they turn 21, with sentencing scheduled for next month. The defense attorneys for both girls have expressed dissatisfaction with the verdicts. Geoffrey Harris, the lawyer for the 13-year-old, argued that his client should have been charged only with assault, not murder.
“She did not have any intent to kill,” he stated, adding that the girl was merely following the lead of others. The 14-year-old’s attorney, Victoria Clark, denied her client’s involvement in the attack, claiming that the prosecution failed to present reliable evidence.
The victim, Reggie Brown, was on his way home to Northwest D.C. when he was attacked by the girls. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma.
Police believe the assault was a random act. Investigators later discovered that the teens had been at a Maryland skating rink earlier that day, having skipped school. Surveillance footage and cellphone videos showed the girls kicking, stomping, and punching Brown during the attack.
Further investigation revealed that the girls discussed the killing over Instagram messages, and months later, five juveniles were arrested and charged.
In October, a 15-year-old girl pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and was sentenced to three years in juvenile detention. As part of her plea agreement, the teen testified in the trial of her co-defendants.
The 15-year-old told the court that the group had been hanging out at a skate park before deciding to “find someone to beat up” because they were “bored.” They eventually spotted Brown, who was already being attacked by an adult male.
The 15-year-old testified that she asked the man if the girls could join in the beating, to which he agreed. One of the girls recorded the assault on her cellphone, showing several of the teens stomping on Brown’s head and using a belt to lash him.
After the assault, the girls reportedly took selfies. Malda Brown, the victim’s sister, expressed some satisfaction with the verdict but vowed to continue seeking justice for the man who initiated the attack on her brother.
