Two Washington, D.C., teenagers who brutally assaulted a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer were sentenced to probation this week, prompting renewed criticism over the city’s handling of juvenile crime.
Edward Coristine was attacked in the early hours of August 3 in D.C.’s Logan Circle neighborhood.
Prosecutors said a 15-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl carried out the assault.
Both teens pleaded guilty in juvenile court, according to WUSA.
The boy, who faced felony assault, simple assault, robbery, and attempted robbery charges, was sentenced Tuesday to 12 months of probation.
The girl, who pleaded guilty to simple assault, was sentenced to nine months’ probation.
Neither teen has been identified due to their ages.
The sentencing judge defended the decision, saying the purpose of juvenile court is “not to punish, but rather to rehabilitate.”
She expressed hope that probation would serve as a “learning experience” for the two teens.
One of the victims was present in court and addressed the attackers directly:
“I hope you can figure things out and be ready for the consequences.”
Coristine’s Account of the Attack
In a September interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters, Coristine recounted the assault.
Coristine said he and his friends were leaving an evening out when they were confronted.
“I was walking one of my friends back to her car, and as we’re walking to the car, there’s a group of 10 guys right across the street,” Coristine said.
“They start shouting at us.
“And really quickly, I knew something was really off about the situation.”
As he tried to usher his friend into her car, Coristine said the group closed in.
“They’re just a few feet away, and they slammed me against the car,” he recalled.
“They started throwing a bunch of punches.
“I keep my hands up… luckily, the whole thing didn’t last too long.”
Trump Blasts D.C. Officials on Juvenile Crime
The assault drew national attention in part because of the light penalties young offenders in the city often face.
In August, President Donald Trump blasted D.C. leadership for failing to protect residents from a wave of juvenile violence.
“Local ‘youths’ and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16 years old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The case has fueled calls for tougher penalties on violent juvenile offenders and increased scrutiny on D.C.’s crime policies.
Critics argue that soft-on-crime policies have prioritized rehabilitation at the expense of public safety.
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