La Plata, MD – Javon Travell Smith, 19 of Waldorf, was asked a simple question Monday, March 14 by Charles County Circuit Court Judge Amy J. Bragunier.

“Why did you do it?” the judge asked.

The defendant didn’t answer.

That was a problem for the judge.

Smith and a co-defendant were charged with attacking a Westlake High School student walking home from summer school July 9, 2015, beating him and stealing his iphone.

Smith accepted a plea for the crime back in February and was in court March 14 for sentencing.

Charles County Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Freeman said the plea agreement was for 18-month incarceration and for the defendant to pay $174.33 in restitution.

“Mr. Smith does have restitution today,” Freeman said. “So that is taken care of.”

What remained was why.

Defense Attorney Camara Mintz said Smith had graduated with good grades, held a good job and had no criminal record.

“Mr. Smith has no record, but this is a senseless act,” Freeman said. “The victim was a 15-year-old boy walking home from Westlake High School. They assaulted and kicked him for his iphone.

“The victim said Mr. Smith told him over and over, ‘you know I need to get that phone’ during the attack,” she added.

Smith’s aunt said she had watched him grow up and become responsible.

“For something like this to be put in jeopardy, I humbly request for the least restrictive sentence,” she said. “I can attest to his personal growth.”

Smith’s grandfather, Otis Davis, asked the court to consider probation.

“He is scared to death,” Mintz told Bragunier. “He understands where he is. He understands what happened was foolish. He made a bad decision. We have an opportunity to allow Mr. Smith to make better decisions in the future. I don’t believe jail would be in his best interest.”

Then came the fateful question from the judge. “Why?”

The defendant never answered.

“I don’t believe he has an answer,” Mintz told the court. “I really don’t think they know why they did it.”

Without an answer, the result was imminent.

Bragunier said she was sentencing Smith to 18 months on count two, second-degree assault, but she would suspend all but 60 days of that sentence. She also sentenced him to an additional 18 months for theft under $1,000, but suspended all of that time concurrent to count two. She placed him on five years of supervised probation upon his release.

Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com