The family of a man stabbed to death at a Metro station is disgusted with a plea deal that allows for the killer’s release.
Vincent Wilson stabbed Sean Golden at the Pentagon Metro station March 16, 2020.
Prosecutors reduced the charge from murder to manslaughter because of alleged mistakes by Metro Transit Police.
“I feel like I got stabbed,” said the victim’s mother, Lakeitha Golden. “That’s how I felt. Like I said today, I feel like I, I became, I stepped into the shoes of my son when he was stabbed by that guy.”
Investigators lost the chain of custody on the weapon and DNA, meaning that evidence couldn’t be used if there had been a trial, court documents revealed.
“This particular investigation is rife with glaring deficiencies, both in the quality of the investigation and subsequent disclosure to the commonwealth,” the prosecutor wrote.
But the judge made it clear he found fault with prosecutors for “self-inflicted errors.”
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Golden’s grandmother wonders if a different victim would have resulted in a different investigation.
“It’s disgusting,” Charlene Thompson said. “Just like I said in my statement. Would it have been different if he’d have been a military or civilian employee of the Pentagon or a contractor coming to a meeting? Would you have done a thorough investigation then?”
The judge seemed to sympathize with the victim’s family but accepted the plea agreement and sentence — time served and seven years on probation.
Wilson’s defense attorney, Brad Haywood, said he never thought murder was the proper charge.
“Just sizing up this based on the facts of this case, this should have been at most manslaughter from the very beginning,” he said.
Wilson is expected to leave the Arlington County Detention Facility Monday and go straight to the probation office. The judge ordered him to never have contact with Golden’s family.
Golden’s family said they’re worried.
“That’s scary,” his mother said. “Are they going to provide transportation for him? Is he going to be on public transportation and possibly someone says the wrong thing to him and they become a victim? That’s the possibility we’re running into on Monday?”
News4 reached out to Metro representatives seeking comment about the Metro Transit Police investigation but has not heard back.
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