D.C. Duo Beat Man with Wood & Cane: Guilty!

WASHINGTON D.C. – A brutal assault outside a Southwest D.C. liquor store landed two men in court, and ultimately, behind bars. Phillip Bealle, 39, and James “Stacey” Williams, 54, were each convicted on September 5, 2025, of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault with significant bodily injury while armed, following a three-day jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The attack left the victim requiring staples to close head wounds.

The evidence painted a grim picture of unprovoked violence. According to testimony, the incident began with a verbal altercation inside the liquor store on June 25, 2024. When the victim attempted to de-escalate the situation and simply walk away, Bealle allegedly charged, grabbing a 2×4 wooden plank from a nearby construction site. He began beating the man relentlessly. As if that weren’t enough, Williams joined the fray, wielding a metal walking cane and adding to the brutal assault.

Surveillance footage from the store provided damning evidence of the attack, capturing the entire ordeal. The footage showed the sustained beating, leaving no doubt about the viciousness of the crime. Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) officers responding to the scene quickly located both Bealle and Williams a short distance from the liquor store on the same date.

The victim, left battered and bleeding, was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital where medical staff were forced to staple shut wounds to his head. The extent of his injuries underscores the severity of the attack and the potential for lasting harm. The senseless violence has sparked outrage among residents of the Southwest D.C. neighborhood.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and MPD Chief Pamela Smith jointly announced the guilty verdicts, praising the diligent work of the investigators from both the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They specifically acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikéla Cuffy and Katherine Ballou, who successfully prosecuted the case.

The Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld has scheduled sentencing for both Bealle and Williams on November 13, 2025. While the convictions offer a measure of justice for the victim, the Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentences handed down. This brutal attack serves as a stark reminder of the violence that continues to plague the nation’s capital.