Executive Summary
- Jimmy Washington sentenced to life without parole for 2021 murder and carjacking.
- Victim James Nguyen died after being run over at a Wells Fargo ATM in Sacramento.
- Jury convicted Washington of first-degree murder under the felony murder rule.
- Nguyen remained in a vegetative state for nearly a year before passing away.
A Sacramento man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole following his conviction for first-degree murder and carjacking connected to a 2021 incident at a bank ATM, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.
Jimmy Washington was found guilty by a jury for the death of James Nguyen. The incident took place in June 2021 at a Wells Fargo bank located near the intersection of Stockton Boulevard and Florin Road. Prosecutors stated that Washington approached Nguyen while the victim was servicing a drive-up ATM and attempted to hijack his work van.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nguyen attempted to intervene and stop the theft. Witnesses and investigators reported that Washington accelerated through the parking lot while Nguyen was hanging from the driver’s side window. The victim ultimately fell from the vehicle and was run over. The District Attorney’s Office noted that Nguyen suffered severe injuries that left him in a vegetative state for nearly a year before he succumbed to his wounds.
The jury convicted Washington of carjacking and first-degree murder, determining that the homicide occurred during the commission of the felony theft. The prosecution successfully argued that Washington’s actions directly led to Nguyen’s death, resulting in the maximum penalty.
It is important to note that while the defendant has been convicted and sentenced, the judicial system affords all individuals the presumption of innocence throughout the trial until guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Judicial Outcome
The sentence of life without the possibility of parole reflects the severity of the charges, particularly the application of the felony murder rule, where a death occurring during the commission of a felony—in this case, carjacking—warrants first-degree murder charges. This case highlights the rigid sentencing guidelines California courts adhere to for violent felonies resulting in loss of life. The conclusion of this trial brings legal finality to a violent episode that began with a property crime and escalated to a capital offense.
