Teen pleads guilty to murder of gay principal

Brian Betts was found shot to death in April. (Blade file photo)

A 19-year-old D.C. man pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree felony murder in connection with the April 14 shooting death of gay D.C. middle school principal Brian Betts.

Alante Saunders, one of four teenagers charged in Betts’ murder, agreed to a plea bargain agreement offered by prosecutors that is expected to result in a sentence reduced from life in prison to 40 years. The plea took place during a hearing before a Montgomery County Circuit court judge in Rockville.

Betts was found shot to death April 15 in his Silver Spring, Md. house.

Montgomery County Assistant State’s Attorney Sherri Koch told Judge John Debelius in a hearing that evidence shows that Saunders shot Betts to death in the second floor bedroom of his house after meeting the popular middle school principal through an Internet chat line.

Sources familiar with the case have said the chat line where the two met caters to gay men seeking to meet other men for sex.

In details of the case that had not previously been disclosed, Koch told the court that Betts told Saunders that the door to his house would be unlocked and instructed him to enter and walk upstairs to his bedroom upon his arrival.

Police and prosecutors have said Saunders and three other men, one 19 and two 18, hatched a plan to meet someone on the chat line for the purpose of committing a robbery. Saunders’ lawyer, David Felsen, and Koch agreed that Saunders and the others charged in the case did not intend to kill Betts.

“This was, for want of a better word, a robbery that went bad,” said Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy at a news conference following the guilty plea.

“This case should serve as a reminder to all those in the community who use chat lines that there are dangers,” he said at the news conference.

Neither McCarthy nor Koch, in her courtroom remarks, mentioned that Betts was gay or that the youths charged with his murder met him through a gay sex chat line.

Court observers believe the State’s Attorney’s office is negotiating with attorneys representing the other defendants over possible plea bargain agreements that would avoid the need for a trial. The others charged in the case are Joel Johnson, 19; Sharif Tau Lancaster and Deontra Gray, both 18. Each is charged with murder, even though authorities believe they may not have been in Betts’ house at the time of the shooting.

Police have said some or all of the other three men entered the house at some point after the shooting to help Saunders steal Betts’ belongings, including credit cards and his car.

Saunders is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 23.

Washington Blade