Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Two People with a Knife

            WASHINGTON –  Lawrence Twisdale, 50, pleaded guilty today to assaulting his ex-girlfriend and her son in 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.

           Lawrence Twisdale pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (a knife). Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2024, before the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan.

           According to the government’s evidence, on August 29, 2021, Twisdale went to 411 P Street NW at some point in the morning. This location was the residence of his ex-girlfriend, who had broken up with him a few weeks before. The victim allowed him in but quickly realized Twisdale was under the influence of PCP. An argument ensued regarding Twisdale’s drug use, at which point Twisdale pulled a black folding knife from his pocket and attacked the victim with it by swinging it at her and knocking her over. He struck her in the face, the back, and the left arm with the knife, causing multiple lacerations. When the victim’s son entered the room to intervene, Twisdale started swinging the knife and eventually stabbed the second victim in the chest. Twisdale left the victims’ residence as the ambulance was arriving. He was apprehended by MPD on that same day.

           In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case. He also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Hyde, who prosecuted the case, and AUSA Sara Hanson, who investigated and indicted the case.