DC man sentenced to more than 2 years in prison for assaulting Rep. Angie Craig in elevator
WASHINGTON - A D.C. man has been sentenced for assaulting a U.S. congresswoman in February.
The Department of Justice announced Thursday that Kendrid Khalil Hamlin, 26 will spend 27 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release for attacking Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., and two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer.
Hamlin pleaded guilty to assaulting a member of Congress and assaulting law enforcement officers back in June.
According to police, around 7:10 a.m. on Feb. 9, Hamlin was in the lobby area of the congresswoman’s apartment building and was acting erratically as if he was under the influence of something.
Craig said "good morning" to the suspect prior to going into the elevator. The suspect then also got onto the elevator.
The police report stated that Hamlin randomly started doing push-ups in the elevator before punching Craig in the chin and grabbing her by the neck. She defended herself by tossing her hot coffee at Hamlin and he fled the scene.
Craig called 911 and Hamlin was later taken into custody. He was also convicted of assaulting two officers as they attempted to arrest him.
There was no evidence that the incident was politically motivated, Nick Coe, Craig's chief of staff, said in a statement.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: US Rep. Angie Craig assaulted in DC elevator; suspect arrested
In Craig’s victim impact statement released Thursday, she said, in part:
"While this case has received much attention because I am a member of Congress, that morning, I was simply a woman followed into an elevator by a man and assaulted there," she wrote. "While my physical recovery was days, my mental and emotional recovery has taken much longer and is ongoing.
"Yes, I fought Mr. Hamlin off and escaped. And I feel very fortunate to have not been more physically injured. However, I wish to bring to the court’s attention that his actions have resulted in significant adverse consequences afterward. I respectfully request the court to take these impacts into account and ensure that Mr. Hamlin is held accountable for his actions."
The congresswoman went on to say that she hopes Hamlin receives "mental health and addiction services that will allow him to become a productive member of society" but added that until that happens, she believes that he "would continue to be a further threat to others."