Daveanna Amina Bedney, 25, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court, and Judge Joseph Michael Stanalonis sentenced her to three years, suspending all but 10 days, followed by five years of supervised probation, Southern Maryland News Net reported. The plea establishes her guilt on that charge; it does not, by itself, establish the allegations about other people said to have been present.
How to read the sentencing context
The Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy’s review of second-degree-assault cases originating in circuit courts from 2017 through 2019 said those cases tend to involve more serious assaults. That statewide snapshot offers context for the kinds of cases heard in circuit courts, not a benchmark for Bedney’s sentence: it covers an earlier period and does not determine what sentence is appropriate in an individual case. Maryland law allows a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $2,500 fine for second-degree assault, according to the state statute. The commission’s report is available here.
As a separate regional example—not a direct comparison—a Charles County jury found Sabrina Cocheye Embrey guilty of second-degree assault and second-degree child abuse in a case involving her 12-year-old son after a 2023 domestic assault in Waldorf. She was sentenced to six months in jail, Somdnews.com reported. The different charges, circumstances and victim mean the case cannot be used to explain or predict Bedney’s sentence; one example also says nothing about how common such cases are.
Case details and unresolved filing
Southern Maryland News Net reported that the case began with charges filed in District Court on July 11, 2025: second-degree assault and unlawfully carrying mace with intent to injure. After Bedney requested a jury trial, the case moved to Circuit Court. The outlet reported that a request to modify or reconsider her sentence was filed on the day it was imposed, and that a response and commitment record were later entered. The available account does not say how the court ruled on the request.
The complaint, as summarized by the outlet, alleges that the July 8, 2025, incident took place outside an apartment building on Voyage Path in California, Maryland. The complainant said Bedney and others confronted her over a dispute connected to her past relationship with the father of Bedney’s young child; she also alleged that she had sought a child-welfare check and that Bedney tried to damage her vehicle or other property. The complainant further accused the group of using mace, punching and kicking her, spitting on her, and making threats involving a knife and a firearm. These are allegations, not findings established by the plea as described in the report. The available account does not document the extent of any injuries or property damage, and does not report that anyone was stabbed or shot. It also does not identify the other people the complainant said were involved or report their case outcomes.
