In the winter of 1978, a dedicated 31-year-old male Metropolitan Police Department officer, Bernis Carr Jr., found his life cut short in a violent encounter. On the evening of February 16th, while off-duty, Carr was at Jimi's Lounge, located at 4801 Georgia Avenue, NW, when a group of armed men entered with the intent to rob the establishment and its patrons.
As the robbery unfolded, the assailants began searching the customers.
It was during this search that they discovered Carr was a police officer. This revelation tragically escalated the situation, leading to Carr being fatally shot in the head and chest. Despite being caught by surprise, Officer Carr had managed to draw his own weapon and fire two shots before he was killed.
The investigation that followed the shooting led to the identification and arrest of five suspects. These men were Joseph L. Wright, Gregory E. Williams, Calvin O. Gorham, Dion M. Wilson, and Ricardo A. Roberts. The charges brought against them included first-degree murder, armed robbery, and assault.
The legal proceedings resulted in convictions for the men involved in the death of Officer Carr. Joseph L. Wright pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison. Gregory E. Williams, identified as the shooter, was convicted by a jury of first-degree murder, armed robbery, and assault. The other accomplices, Calvin O. Gorham, Dion M. Wilson, and Ricardo A. Roberts, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed robbery, also receiving prison sentences for their roles in the tragic event that ended the life of an 11-year veteran of the police force.
