Defendant receives consecutive sentence after committing another crime

By Carmen Quinteros [former]Aryana Zakeri – May 29, 2024
Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

Parties in a 2018 homicide case debated whether a defendant's new sentence should be served concurrently or consecutively with a previously imposed sentence before Washington Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan during a hearing on May 28.

Bernard McKinney, 23, was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed during the commission of a robbery, armed robbery, assault with intent to commit robbery while armed, attempted robbery while armed and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in a robbery on June 12, 2018 in the 300 block of 50th Street, NE. One of the victims, Daymond Chicas, 24, was killed by an unidentified person during the incident. Prosecutors say McKinney had more contact with the surviving victim during the robbery.

McKinney was 17 when the incident occurred.

On November 5, 2020, the defendant agreed to plead guilty to armed robbery in exchange for dismissal of all other charges.

On May 11, 2021, Washington Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz sentenced McKinney to six years of incarceration and five years of probation upon release, as well as 90 hours of community service.

He agreed to sentence him under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA), which effectively sealed his case after meeting the requirements of his sentence.

During his parole, McKinney was charged with two counts of robbery while armed and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in a robbery that occurred on July 4, 2023 in the 900 block of Maine Avenue, SW. , leaving a victim with a head injury after being struck with a handgun.

McKinney has also been linked to a second armed robbery on July 9, 2023 in the 500 block of Water Street, SW, which left two victims unharmed.

On May 28, McKinney accepted a guilty plea regarding the 2023 incidents and was sentenced by Washington Superior Court Judge Erik Christian to eight and a half years of incarceration.

Pierce Suen, McKinney's defense attorney, asked Judge Raffinan to allow McKinney's new sentence to be served concurrently with his original sentence in his 2018 case.

McKinney addressed the court, saying, “I’m sorry. I can do better and I will do better.

The prosecution requested that the sentences be served consecutively because the defendant “had the opportunity to leave everything behind” after being released and yet “committed another armed robbery.”

Judge Raffinan ruled that the sentences would be consecutive because they involved “separate victims and separate charges”.

Mckinney still has three years to serve on his 2018 case.

No other date has been set.

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