Daniel Scott Pleads Guilty to 2015 Stabbing Death

Daniel Scott, 36, of Washington, D.C., admitted in court today to fatally stabbing a man in the face during a violent outburst in November 2015. The plea, entered in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, comes nearly six years after the gruesome killing that began with a petty dispute outside a 7-Eleven and ended in a man’s brutal death at a local hospital.

Scott pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed, a charge carrying a court-contingent 15-year prison sentence. U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced the plea, which stems from the fatal attack on James Michael Neal, 54, on Nov. 21, 2015. Sentencing is set for Feb. 24, 2017, before the Honorable Michael Ryan.

According to prosecutors, the violence erupted during the early evening when Scott confronted a female panhandler outside the 7-Eleven at the 1100 block of South Capitol Street SW. The argument centered on money she had received from a patron. Tensions escalated when Scott produced a knife and began swinging it at the woman and her male companion—Neal. The pair fled on foot toward M Street SE, unaware Scott was following.

Seconds later, Scott ambushed them, lunging at Neal and driving a butcher’s knife into his face. The blade pierced Neal’s nasal cavity, causing catastrophic brain hemorrhaging. Scott dropped the weapon and ran. Police, acting on witness reports, apprehended him a short distance away at a McDonald’s restaurant, still near the scene of the attack.

Neal was rushed to a local hospital but never recovered. His condition worsened throughout the night, and he died on Nov. 22, 2015, from the injuries inflicted during the unprovoked assault. Medical reports confirmed the wound caused fatal bleeding throughout the skull and brain tissue.

Scott has remained in custody since his arrest. U.S. Attorney Phillips praised the Metropolitan Police Department for their swift response and investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles J. Willoughby, Jr., who handled the case from investigation through prosecution, was also recognized for his role in securing the guilty plea.

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