The homeless man who attacked Democratic Representative Angie Craig in the elevator of her Washington, DC apartment building earlier this year was sentenced to 27 months in prison on Thursday.
The prison sentence handed down to Kendrid Khalil Hamlin, 26, will be followed by 36 months of supervised release, US District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg said. Prosecutors had sought a 39-month prison sentence for Hamlin, citing his history of assaulting law enforcement officers.
Hamlin also attacked two law enforcement officers who tried to arrest him, biting one on the shoulder. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of assaulting a member of Congress and two counts of assaulting a law enforcement officer.
“Although this case has received a lot of attention because I am a Congressman, that morning I was just a woman who was followed into an elevator by a man and attacked there,” Craig, 51, wrote in a victim impact statement describing the unprovoked attack to the court. .
Craig was able to escape after he threw his hot coffee at Hamlin.Getty Images
“Mr. Hamlin trapped me inside. He grabbed my neck and slammed me against the steel wall. He punched me in the face. He tried to pull me back when the door opened, and I screamed for help. Physically the attack left bruises and cuts on the lips me, as well as several days of pain and discomfort,” wrote the Minnesota congressman.
Craig defended himself from Hamlin by throwing hot coffee at the man and running out of the elevator.
“While my physical recovery took days, my mental and emotional recovery took longer and continued,” Craig said. “My sense of safety and security has been significantly affected.”
Kendrid Khalil Hamlin was homeless and abusing drugs at the time of the attack, his lawyer told the court. DCPolicDept/Twitter
The Democrat noted that he was also “harassed by the media” who revealed his apartment address after the attack, forcing him to break his lease and move out for “targeted security concerns,” and that he and his staff have received death threats.
MSNBC aired the unredacted address of Craig’s apartment when the network ran a photo of a police report detailing the attack a day after it happened.
“Yes, I fought Mr. Hamlin and ran away. And I feel very lucky to have no physical injuries. However, I would like to bring to the court’s attention that his actions have resulted in significant adverse effects thereafter. I respectfully request that the court consider this impact and ensure that Mr. Hamlin is responsible for his actions,” added Craig.
Hamlin attacked two law enforcement officers who tried to arrest him after he assaulted Craig. US District Court for the District of Columbia
The congressman hopes Hamlin will be provided with mental health and addiction services as well, arguing that “until that happens, based on his history of prior convictions and my own experience, I believe he will continue to be a threat to others.”
Authorities noted that Hamlin had been “acting erratically” in the lobby of the Craig building, including doing push-ups in the elevator, before he attacked the lawmaker.
Hamlin’s attorney said during sentencing that his client was battling drug abuse and homelessness at the time of the attack, and that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and a mental disability.
“I hit No. 13 on his record,” Craig told CBS News in February, referring to Hamlin’s lengthy and violent rap sheet. “And I’m going to do everything to make sure there aren’t 14, 15, 20.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
