Demonte Martez Hewitt Pleads Guilty Mid-Trial In Maryland

Demonte Hewitt, 22, indicated on Tuesday, in the middle of a jury trial, that he wanted to enter a guilty plea in connection to a shooting in a well-known Silver Spring alleyway following a wild chase in June 2022, according to the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors said that in the early morning hours of June 15, 2022, a man left a birthday celebration at a bar on Georgia Avenue and walked a friend to her vehicle, but when he went to return to his own vehicle across the street, a car pulled up and two men jumped out, dressed all in black, wearing ski masks and gloves, and holding handguns.

According to court documents, the men started chasing the victim and he ran for his life. He ran into an alleyway called Mayor Lane as the men and car continued to chase him. 

They opened fire and hit the victim in the back. 

Video then shows the car reversing out of the alley onto Silver Spring Avenue and making a left onto Fenton Street. 

The victim was able to keep running and came upon a police cruiser, yelling “I’ve been shot,” prosecutors said. 

Officers with Montgomery County Police applied a tourniquet to his leg in attempt to stop the bleeding until an ambulance arrived. 

The victim survived.

Hewitt, Nathan Barnes, and Brian Bowen were identified as suspects and all three were arrested by investigators from the Montgomery County Department of Police.

Hewitt pleaded guilty to: 

• Attempted first-degree murder;
• Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder;
• First-degree assault;
• Conspiracy to commit first-degree assault;
• Use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence.

He faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced in September. Barnes and Bowen also pleaded guilty to various offenses and are awaiting sentencing.

“This was senseless, gratuitous violence. These men intended to kill the victim, who was a stranger to them," Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy said in a statement following the guilty plea. 

"We thank Montgomery County Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, and US Park Police for their work leading to the arrests in this case and we are gratified that the three defendants have now been convicted." 

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