A 35-year-old violent thug who used a cane to beat an elderly woman so brutally that she could no longer walk, speak, or recognize her husband of more than half a century has learned his fate. Was the sentence he received enough punishment for the damage he caused? You decide.
On February 23, 2022, 35-year-old panhandler Alexander Adams approached 78-year-old John and 79-year-old Claudia Hopkins outside a Giant food store in Washington, D.C. He asked the elderly couple for five dollars. Up until that point, John and Claudia, who had been married for more than 50 years, had enjoyed an active social life and good health. Sadly, Adams was about to change all of that, and it would leave John emotionally haunted for the rest of his life.
John reportedly gave Alexander Adams one dollar, but that only seemed to anger the dangerous man, who reportedly “had 32 contacts with the judicial system, 11 assaults, and 13 convictions,” according to NBC 4 Washington. “That is not enough!” Adams hollered before punching John, who fell to the ground. Adams turned his attention to Claudia. With her husband’s wooden cane, Adams began hitting the elderly woman’s head and body, causing her to fall backward and hit her head on the concrete ground.
The brutal beating left Claudia unable to walk, speak, or even recognize her husband of more than 50 years. Claudia had suffered numerous injuries, including a concussion, a brain bleed, swelling on the brain, and an altered mental state and cognitive deficits from which she “will likely never recover,” officials said. According to John, he has lost his wife forever, as she is now bedridden in a nursing home.
“She is incapable of talking, she cannot walk, she has a feeding tube,” John Hopkins explained. “I have lost my wife forever,” the grieving husband added. “I feel haunted; I feel emotionally haunted. I feel anguished. It has given me anxiety, and I realize I am depressed. And I fear that it will last me for the rest of my life.”
Sadly, the sentence that was handed down two years after the attack did little to comfort John. Although Adams had a lengthy criminal history and the judge even called him extraordinarily dangerous, his punishment seemed rather paltry. He was sentenced to just eight years in prison on two counts of aggravated assault of a senior citizen. His 96-month prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release, officials said, as reported by The Blaze.
Making matters worse, the day after the attack, Adams’ father told reporters that his son had previously attacked him physically, breaking his hip. According to Tom Adams, his son is bipolar and becomes violent when he doesn’t take his medication. Although Alexander Adams apologized in court for what he did, John Hopkins felt that Adams wasn’t the only one at fault.
“It’s the city’s and the United States government’s responsibility to protect its citizens, and we suffered that neglect,” John said. Indeed, this elderly couple, who should be enjoying their retirement years together, had their lives completely turned upside down by a man who proved time and again that he was a danger to society. But, time and again, he was allowed to walk free.
After reading from a statement, telling the judge how the brutal attack forever changed the trajectory of their lives, and sharing images of his wife’s condition, John Hopkins left the DC Superior Court with one final thought. “May God forgive you,” he said. Indeed, it is the court that seemingly needs forgiveness. Alexander Adams is mentally ill. What’s the judicial system’s excuse for allowing a dangerous criminal the chance to attack innocent citizens time and time again? More importantly, when is enough, enough?
