District of Columbia
Man charged in 2019 D.C. gay murder sentenced to 16 years
Distraught family members urged judge to hand down longer prison term
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2023/09/Vongell_Lugo_insert_courtesy_Greg_Porter.jpg)
Former U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman Collin J. Potter, 31, who earlier this year pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed for the Jan. 6, 2019, stabbing death of gay D.C. resident Vongell Lugo, was sentenced Sept. 15 by a D.C. Superior Court judge to 16 years in prison and five years of supervised probation upon his release.
The sentencing took place at a hearing in which Assistant United States Attorney Peter V. Roman, the lead prosecutor in the case, described in gruesome detail how Potter stabbed Lugo 42 times inside Lugoās Northwest D.C. apartment shortly after the two met at a D.C. bar and Potter accepted Lugoās invitation to come to the apartment.
Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo handed down her sentence after listening to testimony by Lugoās mother, brother, and sister, and seven of Lugoās friends, who presented highly emotional victim impact statements describing Lugo as a beloved figure whose brutal murder had a devastating impact on their lives.
Nearly all of the 10 who spoke ā eight in the courtroom and two through a live video hookup ā urged the judge to hand down a far greater prison term than the 14 to 16-year sentence that prosecutors with the Office of the U.S. Attorney for D.C. offered and Potter accepted in exchange for pleading guilty as part of a plea bargain deal. The plea arrangement made it clear that the judge would make the final decision on what the sentence should be.
Under D.C. criminal law, judges have the discretion to hand down a sentence of up to life in prison for a second-degree murder conviction.
Many of the family members and friends wept as they described Lugo, 36, as a loving, caring person who enriched their lives and who was taken from them by Potter in an unimaginable act of violence.
The sentencing took place a little over seven months after Potter, who was 26 at the time of the murder, pleaded guilty to the charge of second-degree murder while armed and prosecutors dropped their original charge of first-degree murder while armed and other related charges as part of the plea bargain deal.
Court records show that at the request of prosecutors, a D.C. Superior Court grand jury on Aug. 20, 2019, indicted Potter on five counts related to the murder, including two counts of first-degree felony murder while armed, felony murder while armed with aggravating circumstance, and kidnapping.
The U.S. Attorneyās Office has declined to disclose why prosecutors offered the plea deal that included dropping those charges and allowing Potter to plead guilty to second-degree murder rather than bringing Potter to trial on the first-degree murder and other charges.
Attorneys familiar with this type of case have said prosecutors usually offer a plea deal when they are uncertain whether they can convince a jury to find someone guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at a trial.
At the Sept. 15 sentencing hearing, Potterās defense attorney, Matthew Davies of the D.C. Public Defender Service, told the judge one reason why the plea offer made sense was it avoided a trial in which Potter would likely have used the defense of insanity or severe mental health problems, that Davies said his client is currently grappling with.
Davies pointed to information submitted by the defense that Potter has a history of trauma brought about by being sexually abused as a child. He said Potter also has an alcohol abuse problem and related mental health issues, and those factors led to the stabbing incident that took the life of Lugo.
He asked the judge to hand down a sentence of 14 years of incarceration, saying that would adequately serve the cause of justice for this case.
The subject of Potterās mental health also surfaced in a 10-page sentencing memorandum that Roman filed in court two days before the sentencing, and which Roman summarized at the hearing, including the recommendation of a sentence of 16 years of incarceration.
The sentencing memo begins by describing Lugo as an āopenly gay man who was born and raised in Trinidad & Tobago before emigrating to the United States with his family several years ago.ā One of Lugoās friends told the Washington Blade that Lugo had been working as an associate manager for a company that provides language translation services.
The sentencing memo says police arrived at Lugoās apartment about 4 a.m. on Jan 6, 2019, when two neighbors called 911 after hearing Lugo screaming for help through the walls of their adjoining apartments.
It says police arrived shortly after Potter, who was fully nude and covered in Lugoās blood, had dragged Lugoās nude body outside the apartment door into the apartment building hallway.
āAfter the police arrived, the defendant made several statements,ā the sentencing memo says. āHe repeatedly referred to Mr. Lugo as his girlfriend and as a female and stated that Mr. Lugoās injuries were self-inflicted,ā the memo continues. āThe defendant then banged his own head against the wall and started screaming obscenities and that he did not want to live,ā it says.
Several of the close to 20 friends and family members of Lugo who were sitting in the courtroom as prosecutor Roman presented these details were crying.
Defense attorney Davies told the judge that he informed Potter that he had a strong defense based on mental health issues if the case went to trial. But Davies said Potter expressed strong opposition to going to trial and subjecting Lugoās family to additional trauma.
Court documents show Potter was arrested at the scene and has been held in jail since that time as the case dragged on for more than four years since the January 2019 murder.
Court records also show that Lugo and Potter met at the Black Whiskey, a bar on 14th Street, N.W. where Lugo was a regular customer. Although some of Lugoās family members and friends who spoke at the sentencing hearing said they considered the murder a hate crime, court records show police and prosecutors did not list the case as a hate crime.
āHe was a beautiful gay man, and everyone loved him,ā Hannah Donnelly, one of Lugoās friends and co-workers said in presenting her victimās impact presentation in the courtroom.
Another friend said in her impact statement that Lugo invited her to join him to watch D.C.ās Capital Pride parade. She and nearly all the others who presented their impact statements at the hearing were not gay or lesbian themselves but said Lugo was beloved because he always did all he could to help them and support them in their everyday lives.
āHe was like a brother to me,ā said Gregory Porter, one of Lugoās friends who, along with his wife, presented their victim impact statements in the courtroom. āThere was never a thought that he would no longer be a part of our life,ā Porter told the judge. āWe ask for equal justice. We ask the court to invoke the maximum possible sentence,ā he said.
Victoria Lugo, Lugoās mother, was the first of the family members and friends to deliver her victimās impact statement. Looking directly at Potter, she told him there was nothing her son could have done to him to justify what Potter did.
āYou have taken my child from me, Mr. Potter,ā she said while crying. āMy heart hurts,ā she continued. āNo mother should have to go through this.ā
Potter, who was dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, accepted Judge Demeoās invitation to speak before she handed down her sentence.
āIād like to say I am truly very sorry,ā Potter told the judge. āI accept the consequences of my action,ā he said. āI feel I will spend the rest of my life having a positive impact on other peopleās lives to make up for what I have done,ā he said.
After listening to Potter, the presentations by Lugoās family members and friends and hearing remarks from prosecutor Roman and defense attorney Davies, Judge Demeo said she would accept the plea agreement. She said the circumstances surrounding the case, including what she called the ābrutal nature of the crime,ā warranted that she issue a sentence representing the upper end of the plea agreement of 16 yearsā incarceration and five years of supervised release.
She said she would order that the facility where Potter is incarcerated will provide him with mental health treatment.
āThere is no doubt that this was a horrific crime,ā she said. āVongell Lugo was shown by witnesses to be a wonderful soul,ā she added.
District of Columbia
D.C. man fatally stabbed by partner was convicted twice for domestic violence
Ted Anthony Brown faces second-degree murder charge
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2024/05/murder_scene_at_517_Harvard_Street_Northwest_insert_c_Washington_Blade_by_Lou_Chibbaro_Jr.jpg)
Prosecutors with the Office of the U.S. Attorney for D.C. disclosed in court filings that Tommy Hudson, 58, the gay man who was stabbed to death by his domestic partner on May 26, had a criminal record of eight arrests and convictions between 1987 and 2018, including two domestic violence assault convictions in which the partner charged with killing him was the victim.
Ted Anthony Brown, 54, who court records show had a longtime romantic relationship with Hudson, was charged on May 29 with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly fatally stabbing Hudson inside Brownās apartment at 517 Harvard St., N.W., following an argument He is being held in jail without bond while awaiting trial.
Charging documents filed in D.C. Superior Court show that at the time of his arrest, Brown waived his Miranda rights to remain silent and confessed to having stabbed Hudson, saying he did so after Hudson punched him in the face while the two were arguing.
āBrown reported that he and the decedent have been involved in a romantic relationship for a significant period and that he was very jealous of the decedentās possible infidelities,ā an affidavit by police in support of his arrest states. āSuspect 1 [Brown] reported to detectives that he believed the decedent punching him to the face did not justify Suspect 1 stabbing the decedent, which ultimately killed him,ā the affidavit says.
Court records show that prosecutors with the Office of the U.S. Attorney on May 31 sent a letter to Brownās defense attorney, Todd Baldwin, disclosing Hudsonās prior arrests and convictions as part of a required discovery process in which prosecutors must disclose information relevant to a criminal case to the defense, even if the information may be harmful to the prosecutorsā case at trial.
The prosecutorsā letter, sent by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Galloway, says Hudsonās prior convictions include a 2018 charge of violating a Temporary Protection Order requiring he stay away from someone he was accused of threatening with domestic violence; a 2015 charge of domestic violence related simple assault against his partner Brown; and a 2014 domestic violence related simple assault and unlawful entry charge also involving Brown.
The letter says Hudson was also convicted of a 2012 charge of Bail Reform Act violation; a 2010 charge of possession of cocaine; a 2002 charge of cruelty to an animal; a 2001 charge of felony āescape;ā a 2000 charge of second-degree theft; a 1997 charge of violation of the Bail Reform Act; and a 1987 charge of criminal ācontempt.ā
Court records, meanwhile, show that on June 17 D.C. Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein approved a motion by the defense calling for defendant Brown to undergo a mental health competency screening to determine whether he is competent to stand trial. Prosecutors did not oppose the motion. The judge scheduled a āMental Observationā hearing for Brown on July 11 to review and assess the findings of the competency screening.
Court records also show that prosecutors agreed to keep a plea bargain offer they made earlier open until the findings of the mental health exam become known.
District of Columbia
Bernie Delia, attorney, beloved Capital Pride organizer, dies at 68
Activist worked at Justice Department, White House as attorney
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2024/06/20240600_Bernie_Delia_at_Pride_Honors_insert_2_c_Washington_Blade_by_Michael_Key.jpg)
Bernie Delia, a founding member of the Capital Pride Alliance, the group that organizes most D.C. LGBTQ Pride events, and who served most recently as co-chair of World Pride 2025, which D.C. will be hosting next June, died unexpectedly on Friday, June 21, according to a statement released by Capital Pride Alliance. He was 68.
āIt is with great sadness that the Capital Pride Alliance mourns the passing of Bernie Delia,ā the statement says. āWe will always reflect on his life and legacy as a champion, activist, survivor, mentor, friend, leader, and a true inspiration to the LGBTQ+ community.ā
The statement says that in addition to serving six years as the Capital Pride Alliance board president, Delia served for several years as president of Dignity Washington, the local LGBTQ Catholic organization, where he helped create āan environment for spiritual enrichment during the height of the AIDS epidemic.ā
āHe also had a distinguished legal career, serving as one of the first openly gay appointees at the U.S. Department of Justice and later as an appellate attorney,ā the statement reads.
Deliaās LinkedIn page shows that he worked at the U.S. Department of Justice for 26 years, serving as an assistant U.S. attorney from 2001 to 2019. Prior to that, he served from 1997 to 2001 as associate deputy attorney general and from 1994 to 1997 served as senior counsel to the director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, which provides executive and administrative support for 93 U.S. attorneys located throughout the country.
His LinkedIn page shows he served from January-June 1993 as deputy director of the Office of Presidential Personnel during the administration of President Bill Clinton, in which he was part of the White House staff. And it shows he began his career as legal editor of the Bureau of National Affairs, which published news reports on legal issues, from 1983-1993.
The Capital Pride Alliance statement describes Delia as āan avid runner who served as the coordinator of the D.C. Front Runners and Stonewall Kickball LGBTQ sports groups.”
āHe understood the value, purpose, and the urgency of the LGBTQ+ community to work together and support one another,ā the statement says. āHe poured his soul into our journey toward World Pride, which was a goal of his from the start of his involvement with Capital Pride.ā
The statement adds, āBernie will continue to guide us forward to ensure we meet this important milestone as we gather with the world to be visible, heard, and authentic. We love you, Bernie!ā
In a statement posted on social media, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said she and her administration were āheartbrokenā over the news of Deliaās passing.
āBernie leaves behind an incredible legacy in our city and country ā through his life and advocacy, he helped pave a path for LGBTQIA+ residents in our city and within the federal government to live and work openly and proudly,ā the mayor says in her statement.
āHe helped transform Capital Pride into one of the largest and most inclusive Pride celebrations in the nation ā a true reflection and representation of our people and values,ā the statement says. āThis is the D.C. that Bernie helped build and that he leaves behind.ā
“All of the hopes and dreams that we had about what Pride could be and what CPA could do, are things that Bernie actualized over the last many years and in his work for next year,ā said Vincent Slatt, Rainbow History Projectās director of archiving in a statement. āHe wasn’t the first one to say it, but he always reminded everyone: āwe make each Pride special because, for someone, it is their first Pride, and they’ll remember it always.ā Bernie lived that ideal each and every year. WorldPride 2025 will be a testament to his efforts and his legacy will live on ā it will be someone’s first Pride. We’ll try to make Bernie proud of us.ā
Deliaās oral history interview is part of the Rainbow History Project Archives. You can access it at rainbowhistory.org.
Ashley Smith, the Capital Pride Alliance president, said he and other Capital Pride officials became concerned when Delia did not respond to their routine calls or messages. Smith said he called D.C. police to arrange for a welfare check on Delia at his house in Northwest D.C. on Friday, June 21. He said police accompanied him to Deliaās house and police entered the house and found Delia unconscious.
Smith said an ambulance was called and attempts to resuscitate Delia were unsuccessful. Smith said a definitive cause of death had not been determined other than it was due to natural causes. āHe had a heart attack last year, so he had been recovering from that, but he seemed to have been doing in fairly good order,āĀ Smith told the Blade.
Smith said the emergency medical technicians who arrived at the scene and who declared Delia deceased said, āit looked like it probably had to do with the previous heart condition that he already had, and that itās more than likely what it came from,ā Smith said in referring to Deliaās passing. “He died peacefully at home,” Smith added.
Smith and Dignity Washington spokesperson Jake Hudson said Deliaās two sisters, one from Baltimore and the other from Charlotte, N.C., were in D.C. working on funeral arrangements. Smith and Hudson said Capital Pride and Dignity planned to consult with the two sisters on plans for a possible Catholic mass in Deliaās honor as well as a celebration of life that Smith said would take place in D.C. in August or September.
Capital Pride was also working with the sisters to create a memorial fund in Deliaās honor that would raise money for the causes and programs that Delia supported over the course of his many years as an activist. āItās still being formulated,ā Smith said. āThat will be forthcoming when we get ready to do the celebration of life ceremony and everything else,ā he said.
According to Smith, the sisters, in consultation with Joseph Gawlerās and Sons funeral home in Northwest D.C,Ā were making arrangements for a cremation rather than a burial.
District of Columbia
D.C. Council budget bill includes $8.5 million in LGBTQ provisions
Measure also changes Mayorās Office of LGBTQ Affairs
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2024/06/20240608_Muriel_Bowser_at_Capital_Pride_Parade_insert_c_Washington_Blade_by_Michael_Key.jpg)
The D.C. Council on June 12 gave final approval for a $21 billion fiscal year 2025 budget for the District of Columbia that includes more than $8.5 million in funding for LGBTQ-related programs, including $5.25 million in support of the June 2025 World Pride celebration that D.C. will be hosting.
Also included in the budget is $1.7 million in funds for the Mayorās Office of LGBTQ Affairs, which includes an increase of $132,000 over the officeās funding for the current fiscal year, and a one-time funding of $1 million for the completion of the renovation of the D.C. Center for the LGBTQ Communityās new building in the cityās Shaw neighborhood.
The D.C. LGBTQ+ Budget Coalition earlier this year asked both the D.C. Council and Mayor Muriel Bowser to approve $1.5 million for the D.C. Centerās building renovation and an additional $300,000 in ārecurringā funding for the LGBTQ Center in subsequent years āto support ongoing operational costs and programmatic initiatives.ā In its final budget measure, the Council approved $1 million for the renovation work and did not approve the proposed $600,000 in annual operational funding for the center.
The mayorās budget proposal, which called for the $5.25 million in funding for World Pride 2025, did not include funding for the D.C. LGBTQ Center or for several other funding requests by the LGBTQ+ Budget Coalition.
At the request of D.C. Council member Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), the Councilās only gay member, the Council approved at least two other funding requests by the LGBTQ+ Budget Coalition in addition to the funding for the LGBTQ Center. One is $595,000 for 20 additional dedicated housing vouchers for LGBTQ residents who face housing insecurity or homelessness. The LGBTQ housing vouchers are administered by the Office of LGBTQ Affairs.
The other funding allocation pushed by Parker is $250,000 in funds to support a Black LGBTQ+ History Commission and Black LGBTQIA+ history program that Parker proposed that will also be administered by the LGBTQ Affairs office.
Also at Parkerās request, the Council included in its budget bill a proposal by Parker to change the Mayorās Office of LGBTQ Affairs to become a āstand-alone entityā outside the Executive Office of the Mayor. Parker told the Washington Blade this change would āallow for greater transparency and accountability that reflects its evolution over the years.ā
He said the change would also give the person serving as the officeās director, who is currently LGBTQ rights advocate Japer Bowles, āgreater flexibility to advocate for the interest of LGBTQ residentsā and give the Council greater oversight of the office. Parker noted that other community constituent offices under the mayorās office, including the Office of Latino Affairs and the Office of Veterans Affairs, are stand-alone offices.
The budget bill includes another LGBTQ funding provision introduced by D.C. Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) that allocates $100,000 in grants to support LGBTQ supportive businesses in Ward 6 that would be awarded and administered by the Office of LGBTQ Affairs. Allen spokesperson Eric Salmi said Allen had in mind two potential businesses on 8th Street, S.E. in the Barracks Row section of Capitol Hill as potential applicants for the grants.
One is the LGBTQ cafĆ© and bar As You Are, which had to close temporarily earlier this year due to structural problems in the building it rents. The other potential applicant, Salmi said, is Little District Books, D.C.ās only LGBTQ bookstore thatās located on 8th Street across the street from the U.S. Marine Barracks.
āItās kind of recognizing Barrackās Row has a long history of creating spaces that are intended for and safe for the LGBTQ community and wanting to continue that history,ā Salmi said āSo, that was his kind of intent behind the language in that funding.ā
The mayorās budget proposal also called for continuing an annual funding of $600,000 to provide workforce development services for transgender and gender non-conforming city residents experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
-
Canada1 day ago
Toronto Pride parade cancelled after pro-Palestinian protesters disrupt it
-
Theater4 days ago
Stephen Mark Lukas makes sublime turn in āFunny Girlā
-
Baltimore3 days ago
Despite record crowds, Baltimore Prideās LGBTQ critics say organizers dropped the ball
-
Sports4 days ago
Haters troll official Olympics Instagram for celebrating gay athlete and boyfriend