DATE: June 5, 2023

CASE: Derrick Duncan, Develle Thomas (Case #22FE017940)

PROSECUTOR: Deputy District Attorney Adrianne McMillan, Career Criminal Prosecution

On June 2, 2023, Derrick Duncan and Develle Thomas were convicted by a jury of assault with a deadly weapon.  The jury also found true that both defendants personally inflicted great bodily injury.

On October 21, 2022, the victim stumbled into the X-O Lounge Bar & Grill after being stabbed. Responding officers found the victim on the ground bleeding from two stab wounds to his lower back. The investigation found that the victim and Thomas knew each other.  On the day of the stabbing, the victim sought out Thomas to buy narcotics from him. The two got into an argument and Thomas refused to conduct the sale. After the victim got a friend to buy the narcotics for him, Thomas and Duncan confronted the victim and assaulted him. During the assault, the victim sustained two stab wounds.

At the time of the assault, Thomas was out on bail on another case and Duncan was on Postrelease Community Supervision.  An allegation that Duncan has a prior strike conviction for attempted robbery will be determined at the sentencing hearing.

Duncan faces a maximum potential sentence of 11 years in state prison.  Thomas faces a maximum potential sentence of 9 years in state prison. Sentencing for both defendants is set for June 23, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. in Department 32 before the Honorable James Arguelles.