Washington, D.C. - Two District of Columbia men, Brian K. Gilliam, 27, and Ronald L. English, 28, have each been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison for their roles in a violent fatal shooting which occurred at 30th and P Streets, SE, Washington, D.C., in March 2006, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor announced today. Additionally, Terrell D. Hargraves, 31, has been sentenced to a period of 3 years of incarceration for leading police on an extended high-speed car chase after the shooting.

The three men were sentenced earlier this month in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Wendell P. Gardner, Jr. English and Gilliam were found guilty by a jury in December 2007, of Voluntary Manslaughter while Armed, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and other charges relating to the killing. Additionally, Hargraves was found guilty of Fleeing from a Law Enforcement Officer in a Motor Vehicle. On March 21, 2008, Judge Gardner sentenced English to 448 months, or over 37 years, of incarceration. On March 14, 2008, Judge Gardner sentenced Gilliam to a period 410 months, totaling over 34 years, and Hargraves to a period of 36 months of incarceration. Each of the sentences represented the maximum sentence under the Superior Court Sentencing Guidelines.

According to the government’s evidence at trial, on March 7, 2006, the decedent, Michael Beckham, was riding in a car with two other victims in the area of 30th and P Streets, SE, Washington D.C., when the defendants pulled up alongside the victims’ vehicle and opened fire. One of the two surviving victims was shot six times. The decedent, Michael Beckham, 30, got out of the car and was chased down the street, before he fell to the ground and was shot in the head nine times.

Police in the area heard gunfire and gave chase to a grey Tahoe in which the three defendants were fleeing. After a 37-minute high-speed chase that crossed into Maryland and then returned into the District, police apprehended the three men.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Taylor praised the outstanding investigative work of Detectives Harbin Combee, Kimberly Lawrence, Scott Gutherie, Carol Queen and Tony Patterson of the Metropolitan Police Department. Further, U.S. Attorney Taylor acknowledged the efforts of the following members of the Metropolitan Police Department: Mobile Crime Technicians Pamela Cooper, James and John Holder, Jay Gregory, Edward Roach, Nathaniel Covington, Ralph Nitz, David Murray, Tony Nwani, Michael DePrince, Stanley Rembish and lead Technician Dawn Leary. U.S. Attorney Taylor also commended Firearms Examiner Jonathan Pope, and Officers Anthony Campanale, Robert Miles, Sharon Henderson, Elizabeth Bradshaw, Wendell Palmer, and Sergeants Paul Skelton and David Robinson of the Sixth District. In addition, Mr. Taylor commended the work of Dr. Lois Goslinoski of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia, and Erika Jiminez of Orchid Cellmark Laboratories and Tina Delgado of the FBI Laboratory. Mr. Taylor also commended Paralegal Specialists Lenney Lowe and Legal Assistant Doloris Young for their support. Finally, Mr. Taylor acknowledged the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Behle, who assisted with the initial investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Gillice and Eric P. Gallun, who prosecuted the case at trial.