Local
Men charged in D.C. trans murder case sentenced to eight years
Prosecutor says plea bargain was justified under ‘circumstances’
A D.C. Superior Court Judge on Friday sentenced two of four men originally charged with first degree murder while armed for the July 4, 2016, shooting death of transgender woman Deeniquia “Dee Dee” Dodds on a street in Northeast Washington to eight years in jail and five years of supervised probation upon their release.
The sentence by Judge Milton C. Lee came a little over two months after Jalonta Little, 31, and Monte T. Johnson, 26, agreed through their attorneys to a plea bargain offer by prosecutors allowing them to plead guilty to a single count of voluntary manslaughter in exchange for the murder charge and related gun violation charges to be dropped.
The plea agreement included a promise by prosecutors with the Office of the United States Attorney for D.C. to ask the judge for a sentence of eight years incarceration. Under D.C. law, a conviction on a charge of voluntary manslaughter carries a possible maximum sentence of 30 years.
As expected by court observers, Lee gave Little and Johnson full credit for the time they have already served in jail since their arrest. Johnson has been held without bond for four years and 10 months since his arrest in the Dodds case in February 2017. Little has been held for five years and two months since the time of his arrest in September 2016.
Lee also agreed to a request by prosecutors to issue a court stay away order prohibiting Johnson and Little from going to the areas where they targeted Dodds and other transgender women for armed robberies on the night of Dodds’ murder. Their targeting of trans women, some of whom were sex workers, prompted D.C. police to list the Dodds murder as a hate crime, a designation that was dropped by Lee during the 2019 trial on ground of insufficient evidence.
Lee sentenced Johnson to an additional 150 days in jail for an unrelated charge, to which he pled guilty, of Attempted Unlawful Possession of Contraband Into a Penal Institution. Court records show that Johnson and another inmate at the D.C. Jail were charged in September of this year with actual possession of the illegal contraband after the two stabbed each other with make-shift, knife-like objects while fighting.
Court records show Johnson was treated at a hospital for multiple, nonlife threatening stab wounds in connection with the incident. Prosecutors agreed to lower the charge to attempted possession of unlawful contraband in exchange for Johnson’s agreement to plead guilty. Judge Lee ordered that the additional sentence for Johnson of 150 days must be carried out consecutively to the eight-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter.
Both Lee and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharon Donovan, the lead prosecutor in the case, pointed out that the Dec. 10 sentencing followed a March 2019 trial for Little and Johnson on the first-degree murder charges in the Dodds case that ended in a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the murder charges.
At the request of prosecutors, another trial for Little and Johnson on the murder was scheduled a short time later, but for reasons not disclosed in the public court records, the second trial was postponed several times and eventually cancelled after the plea bargain agreement was reached in September of this year.
The two other men charged in the Dodds murder, Shareem Hall, 28, and his brother, Cyheme Hall, 26, accepted a separate plea bargain offer by prosecutors shortly before the start of the 2019 trial for Johnson and Little in which they pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. They each testified as government witnesses at Johnson and Little’s trial, with Cyheme Hall testifying that it was Johnson who fatally shot Dodds in the neck at point blank range after she attempted to fight back when he and Johnson attempted to rob her.
Similar to Johnson and Little, the Hall brothers have been held without bond since the time of their arrests. They are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 20.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has not publicly disclosed why they chose to offer the plea deal rather than bring Little and Johnson to trial again on the murder charge. Attorneys familiar with criminal cases have said prosecutors sometimes offer a plea deal after determining that going to trial a second time could result in a not-guilty verdict based on the circumstances of the case.
Judge Lee raised this issue in Friday’s sentencing hearing when he asked prosecutor Donovan to explain the recommendation of an eight-year prison sentence rather than a longer one.
“Obviously, an individual lost their life during the circumstances that gave rise to the charge here in the first trial that we had,” Lee told Donovan. “Can you tell me why, from the government’s perspective, do you think this particular sentence here agreed upon by the parties – eight years – do you think it’s an appropriate sentence under the circumstances that we’re aware of?” Lee asked.
“Your honor, we believe that this takes into consideration the first trial and the evidentiary difficulties that were highlighted during the first trial and other incidents that occurred during the first trial,” Donovan told Lee. “And that taking everything into consideration and considering the goal of sentencing obviously is to address the family and the community by trying to cross the sentence against the facts and circumstances in a particular case,” Donovan said. “And we believe that taking all of that into consideration that it is an appropriate sentence.”
Prior to handing down his sentence, Lee also mentioned that he received a community impact statement on the Dodds murder from the D.C. Center for the LGBT Community’s Anti-Violence Project. The attorneys representing Little and Johnson said their clients saw the community impact statement. Neither of them raised any objections to the statement. The statement was not read or released at the hearing.
The statement, which the Anti-Violence Project released to the Blade, called on Judge Lee to issue the maximum sentence for Little and Johnson.
“We adamantly request that the court impose the maximum sentences allowed, reinforcing respectful and impactful consequences to these defendants for their violent crimes,” the Anti-Violence Project’s statement says. “Additionally, we ask that you take into consideration the perceived vulnerability of the victim of the defendants’ violent crimes as a transgender woman of color whose rights and life were targeted in a way that confirms they did not matter to the defendants,” the statement says.
“This victim’s attempt to defend herself from their violence was answered with lethal brutality,” the statement continues. “Her voice is silenced, but the grief and outcry for justice from the LGBTQ+ community rises to honor her death and demand effective and responsive protection for the lives of all LGBTQ+ people targeted by future criminals.”
In a separate statement provided to the Blade last week, Anti-Violence Project Chair Stephania Mahdi expressed strong objections to the terms of the plea bargain offered by prosecutors.
“A plea bargain from first-degree murder to voluntary manslaughter as well as a reduction of years in sentencing from 30 to 8 communicates not only a miscarriage of justice, but a message of penalization for victims who attempt to protect themselves during a violent assault,” Mahdi said. “The continual impact of reducing the culpability of perpetrators who target members of specifically identified communities sends a malicious message to criminals that certain groups of people are easier targets with lenient consequences,” she said.
Prior to handing down his sentence, Lee asked prosecutor Donovan if a member of Dodds’ family would be providing him a statement or recommendation related to the sentencing. Donovan said one of Dodd’s aunts, who raised Dodds and who was unable to attend the sentencing hearing, relayed her views on the case to prosecutors.
“She wanted us to convey to the court that she believes that these men took someone special from the world and someone very dear to her,” Donovan said. “[She] said she cannot hold hate in her heart for these men because that is not who she is or how she chooses to live her life. She hopes these young men know right from wrong and realize these actions were wrong,” Donovan told the court.
“She says she knows that life is often difficult for young people,” Donovan continued. “But she hopes these men learn that actions have consequences. And she hopes they take this time to learn something important and do something better with their lives…”
Johnson and Little also spoke briefly just before Lee handed down his sentence. Little said he regretted having made “mistakes” during his life, which he said resulted in him spending most of his adult life in prison. Court records show Little has several prior criminal convictions.
“I did wrong because I was with the wrong people,” he said. “I will try to lead my life to the best of my ability.”
Johnson thanked Lee for accepting the terms of his plea. He said he wanted to send his “condolences’ to the Dodds family, adding, “I’m sorry for their loss.”
Rehoboth Beach
Officials raise troubling concerns about Rehoboth mayoral candidate Suzanne Goode
Homophobic emails, ‘aggressive’ behavior cited: ‘It just seems to be getting worse’
As Rehoboth Beach voters prepare to elect a new mayor on Aug. 8, some city officials and local residents are raising new concerns about the behavior of City Commissioner and mayoral candidate Suzanne Goode.
In addition to a history of troubling emails in which she has used homophobic language and criticized the city’s rainbow crosswalks, Goode is being accused of inappropriate behavior by a neighbor and a fellow Commissioner related to a dispute on the Nextdoor online platform.
The Blade spoke to City Manager Taylour Tedder, Commissioner Chris Galanty, and others about Goode’s behavior during her time as commissioner.
Goode was elected commissioner in August 2024. Fellow commissioner Susan Stewart, who is also running for mayor, criticized Goode’s behavior in a March 9, 2026 meeting, bringing up emails outlining Goode’s offensive conduct toward city staff.
In one email, Goode wrote to Rehoboth Beach City Solicitor Lisa Borin Ogden: “I am sorry that I learned from Google when you were first interviewed [in the] spring [of] 2025 that you are Jewish. My opinion of my fellow Jews declined significantly thanks to you since last summer. Actually would have thought you would have more compassion than the average person, based on your late brother. Except you don’t. I am sick of your haughty attitude toward me.”
In other emails, Goode questions why city officials encouraged CAMP Rehoboth and Clear Space Theatre to apply for grant funds. She has denigrated both institutions, referring to CAMP as a “questionable non-profit” and Clear Space as “second rate” with a “woke, drag queen bent” at times. She accuses Rehoboth’s LGBTQ community of displaying “their sex lives in public view” and fears physical violence from LGBTQ activists.
Goode disputed the claims and called for the city to remove Stewart’s remarks from the website.
The following statements were included in the emails sent by Goode:
• “Gays and theatre aficionados can donate as much as they like to these pet causes. Some taxpayers think the theatre is second-rate as community theatres go, and many dislike the RB emphasis on LGBTQ when heterosexuals don’t demand equivalent display of their sex lives in public view.”
• “Just because the LGBTQ community feels oppressed and discriminated against, that doesn’t mean that those who identify as LGBTQ are better able to recognize racial discrimination than someone like myself. It might surprise some of you to learn that I briefly dated an African American fellow college student.”
• “A performing arts and LGBTQ agenda isn’t appropriate for BOC spending when the city faces over $60M in debt.”
• “But there are some folks in town, who ironically have to remain in the closet (conservatives now have to do what gays had to do in the 20th century — ah, the irony) who object to the woke, drag queen bent of Clear Space at times. They have confided this in me, and thanked me for fighting for their tax dollars. Maybe I will regret speaking up, as some LGBTQ activist will attack me physically, even though I am a complete supporter of gay rights, and have as many gay male friends as female friends now that I live in RB with a large gay population.”
In the emails, Goode also referred to City Manager Tedder as “the mayor’s whore.”
Stewart told the Blade that the troubling behavior has since escalated.
Commissioner Chris Galanty spoke to the Blade about Goode’s behavior as commissioner and her issues with the rainbow crosswalks in town.
“Suzanne told me on two separate occasions that she didn’t like the rainbow crosswalks, and she said that she didn’t understand why they had to exist, and she didn’t understand why gay people had to advertise their sexuality, and she said straight people don’t have to do that.”
Galanty said that when he challenged her on this, she “moved very quickly to another topic.” He said that she has now shifted her perspective and is more concerned that the rainbow crosswalks are an issue of labor costs.
Goode told the Blade that, “Unfortunately, the rainbow crosswalks have potentially reduced the upkeep of the conventional crosswalks. But the rainbow crosswalks are attractive in and of themselves, and they do add to our recognition of Rehoboth’s longstanding status as a gay-friendly town.”
Accusations of “aggressive” behavior by Goode aren’t limited to emails. Last summer, Goode came to the home of Diana Jones, a property owner in Rehoboth Beach who is a neighbor of Galanty’s. Jones spoke to the Blade to share her experience with Goode.
Jones is active on Nextdoor, an online social network for neighborhoods. She said that she got involved on the platform during the time of the commissioners election last summer, in which her neighbor, Chris Galanty, was elected as commissioner.
Jones said that she made posts supporting Galanty. She said that someone posted a link of a lawsuit that involved Goode’s husband, Jeffrey Goode, who lost his race for commissioner last summer. Jones said that she reposted the link after it was taken down.
Jones said that the lawsuit was “very relevant to somebody who is running for city commissioner.”
Jones said that Suzanne Goode showed up at her house as a result of the post. Jones was out walking her dog nearby so Goode briefly spoke with Jones’s husband who was home.
“She came over to my house because she was saying I was doxing him,” said Jones. Jones said that Goode then found her as she was walking her dog and tried to talk to her about her Nextdoor posts, saying that she “brought up a very painful time in her life.”
Jones said that she has not had any communication with Goode since.
When asked for comment on the situation with Jones, Goode responded by saying “Diana Jones’s behavior toward me was despicable, and the way she has chosen to give her side of the story to news media says more about her than it will ever say about me.”
Galanty told the Blade that Goode came to his house in late June of this year when he was not home. She then called him about Jones.
“She relayed to me that she was having a disagreement with my neighbor on the Nextdoor platform, and she asked me to intercede with the neighbor,” said Galanty. “She said, ‘Please speak to her because I am frustrated with what she is saying. She needs to stop, and you need to say something to her.'”
Galanty said that Goode called him four times and texted him 32 times in the span of three and a half hours the next day.
Galanty said that he responded the next day, telling her that her behavior was inappropriate.
“Eventually it took a couple of weeks, but she apologized in her own way. She just said we just need to let it go.”
From his perspective as commissioner, Galanty said, “She likes to re-litigate things that have happened, six months ago, nine months ago. She likes to rehash issues that are in the past.”
“She can be really aggressive, and people are just really turned off by her,” said Galanty.
Tedder, who has accused Goode of creating a “hostile work environment,” told the Blade about his experiences working with Goode.
“She does not support the staff, and constantly tells us to resign,” said Tedder.
Tedder said that Goode texted City Solicitor Ogden at 7:45 a.m. on a Saturday, telling her to resign.
“Sometimes she does have good ideas. It’s just it gets so lost in these pages and pages of emails and thousands of emails that she sends,” said Tedder.
In regards to Goode’s behavior, Tedder said it has been going on since the beginning. “It just seems to be getting worse.”
Maryland
Advocates for trans students urge Md. to fight White House threats
Four school districts under federal investigation
By JESSICA CALEFATI | Allies of transgender children are urging state education officials to fight back against the Trump-Vance administration, which has threatened to punish a growing number of Maryland school districts over local policies that affirm students’ gender identities.
The advocates testified Tuesday morning before the Maryland State Board of Education — one day after the U.S. Education and Justice departments alleged that Anne Arundel County’s school system violated federal student privacy law by withholding a student’s gender identity from their parents. A spokesperson for the district said Monday legal counsel had not yet reviewed the claims and that the district had no further comment.
School districts in Prince George’s, Montgomery, and Frederick Counties were already under investigation for allegedly violating Title IX, the civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination. The federal government last month threatened to revoke funding from the districts because they allow trans students to use restrooms and locker rooms that align with their identities.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
Maryland
White House threatens Anne Arundel schools over gender identity policy
District faces possible legal action or loss of federal funding
By JESSICA CALEFATI | The Trump-Vance administration on Monday threatened to punish Anne Arundel County’s school system with legal action or the loss of federal funding for allegedly withholding information about a student’s gender identity and transition from the child’s parents.
The U.S. Education and Justice Departments together determined that the suburban Maryland district treats students’ gender identities as confidential medical information that cannot be shared with parents, in violation of federal student privacy law, according to a news release. A federal lawsuit filed against the district earlier this month made similar claims.
“As a mother and a grandmother, it is unconscionable that any school district would hide the most sensitive information about children in their care from their own parents,” U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. “This is not only an affront to basic moral principles, but also to parents’ rights under federal law.”
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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