A Superior Court jury has convicted Ethan Cunningham, a 22-year-old Baltimore man, on several charges, including two counts of felony murder while armed, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and MPD Chief Pamela Smith. The charges relate to the fatal shooting of James Lee Curtis in Southeast D.C. in May 2022.
The verdict was handed down after deliberation over evidence presented in the case, which detailed how Cunningham, armed with a 9mm gun, followed Curtis to his apartment building. The prosecution underscored the brutality of the assault and the clear intent to rob the victim before he was shot. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman scheduled sentencing for March 28, which is set to firmly place Cunningham away from the society he so endangered.
The account presented by the U.S. Attorney's office highlighted the tragic evening when Curtis was attacked after simply getting dinner. Cunningham, along with an accomplice, followed Curtis and attempted to force his way into an apartment where a woman and child were present. The assault escalated quickly to a shooting, resulting in fatal injuries for Curtis and a close call for his roommate. The U.S. Attorney's Office reports that Cunningham then also threatened to shoot the roommate before fleeing the scene.
Following his arrest on May 30, 2022, Cunningham has been in custody. The case was the culmination of investigative work by the MPD, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Natalie Hynum leading the prosecution. Alongside the murder charges, Cunningham was also found guilty of burglary, attempted robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, possession charges pertaining to a firearm, and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. These guilty findings reflect not just a moment of violence but a pattern of choices and capabilities that society can no longer choose to just overlook.
