A jury convicted Tommy Branch of 11 of 13 counts in connection with a series of crimes that including the severe beating of District resident T.C. Maslin last August, an attack that left Maslin with severe brain injuries.
Branch is one of three suspects to be charged. On Wednesday, Branch -- the first to be tried -- was found guilty of six crimes, including aggravated assault and armed robbery, for his attack on Maslin.
He was also found guilty of four crimes that happened after the attack on Maslin, when Branch went to Adams Morgan and robbed another victim, prosecutors say. He was found not guilty of assault with intent to rob and of possession of a firearm in an assault in that case.
The prosecution says that during a robbery of Maslin, 22-year-old Tommy Branch struck him in the head with an aluminum baseball bat he called his Barry Bonds, causing severe brain injuries.
T.C. Maslin’s wife, Abby, has been his crusader and caretaker since the attack. On Tuesday, Abby Maslin was her husband’s voice, taking the stand before closing arguments in Branch's trial.
On the stand, Abby Maslin said her husband has undergone six operations and many rounds of rehab. He walks with a limp, has limited use of his right arm and has trouble communicating. It’s difficult for her to tell what T.C. Maslin understands and what he doesn’t.
She said he may never fully recover from the beating.
One of the prosecution’s key witnesses against Branch was another of the suspects. The defense argued the witness was lying in order to save himself.
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The jury got the case Tuesday afternoon.
In a statement Wednesday, the Maslins said they were relieved and grateful to hear of the verdict, but that "they remain extremely saddened by the devastation that was caused and the lives that were shattered as a result of this senseless act."
The Maslins' statement continued in part, "We pray for peace for all residents of the District and remain focused on the challenging work ahead in TC's recovery."
