U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg on Thursday ruled against a man convicted of assaulting Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) in an elevator at a Washington, D.C., apartment complex last February. He was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison, 12 years less than the original sentence. By Attorney General Alexander Schneider of the Department of Justice.
Prosecutors said in court documents that Kendrid Hamlin, a 27-year-old homeless man with schizophrenia, entered the front door of a building in the 300 block of H Street Northeast around 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 9, 2023. .
Craig, a member of the House of Representatives representing Minnesota, had just taken the elevator from his apartment floor and entered the apartment lobby. After drinking coffee in the lobby of her apartment, she notices a strange person walking around the lobby. She did not recognize the defendant, but she greeted him with a “good morning.”she noticed him
He was acting strangely.
When she returned to the elevator around 7:10 a.m., Hamlin, who had a long criminal history, forced her into the elevator. In court documents, investigators said:
Craig then pressed a button to stop the elevator from rising and said something to the effect of, “Sorry…you need an access card to pass through the lobby.” When she told him this, Hamlin fell to the elevator floor to do push-ups. After doing about three or four push-ups, Hamlin told Craig something to the effect of, “I have to go to your apartment, so please take me to your apartment.”
In response, Craig told her sternly that she had to get off the elevator. When Hamlin heard this, he became very upset and confronted Craig chest to chest. He then turned and jumped in front of the elevator doors and elevator buttons, blocking them. Hamlin shoved Craig and immediately grabbed her fist and punched her in the jaw.
The punch caused Craig to lose his balance and fall back. At this point, Craig realized that he needed to get out of the elevator to escape this violent situation. When she turned around to access the button that would open the elevator door to escape, Hamlin positioned herself behind her and pulled her back from her elevator button.
Hamlin physically prevented Craig from opening the elevator door while placing his hand on her collarbone in the area of her neck. While this assault was occurring, Craig threw hot coffee over her shoulder and Hamlin let her go.
At this point, Hamlin fled when the door opened and Craig slipped out and began screaming for help.
In a victim statement submitted ahead of the hearing, Ms Craig said the incident had left lasting damage to her mental and emotional health.
“My sense of safety and security was greatly affected. After the attack, I developed strategies to combat and cope with periodic anxiety with the help of professionals. I used self-defense techniques. I have received training.” Craig wrote.
She added that she had to move out of her Washington apartment following media reports about the incident that exposed the building’s address and led to a “series” of death threats against her and her staff.
At the sentencing hearing, federal prosecutors said, “In addition to his violent conduct conviction, he has at least nine additional prior arrests for violent or threatening behavior…Defendant’s actions also demonstrate that he will comply with the terms of his release.” It shows that he doesn’t care.” Justifies the need for a serious sentence of imprisonment. ”
The assault on Mr. Craig was one of a series of violent attacks on members of Congress, parliamentary aides and family members over the past year. Assailant armed with a baseball-like metal bat The charges were filed in May of this year by the office of Representative Gerry Connolly (D-Virginia).
CNN reported A jury found David DePaap guilty on Thursday of two counts of violent assault on Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), at the couple’s San Francisco home last year. announced.
DePaap was found guilty in federal court of one count of assault on a relative of a federal employee, a jury determined he used a dangerous weapon, and a second count of attempted kidnapping of a federal employee. . They each face up to 30 and 20 years in prison.
