Phillip Todd, a 26-year-old aide to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), was stabbed four times on a busy street in Northeast Washington in March 2023. The attack — carried out by 44-year-old Glynn Neal, released from prison just a day earlier — left Todd with severe injuries, including a punctured brain membrane that required surgery.
For Todd, the assault turned the city’s crime problem from a political talking point into a deeply personal struggle. As national Republicans, including Donald Trump, cited rising D.C. violence to push for tougher laws and federal control of the city, Todd wrestled with his own response. A devout Christian and son of missionaries, he prayed for strength to forgive Neal, questioning whether prison truly changes offenders and whether punishment was the right answer.
Court proceedings complicated matters further. Neal, held at the city’s secure psychiatric hospital, was found mentally incompetent to stand trial, with no prospect of regaining competency. Instead, he faces potential indefinite civil commitment. The lack of a definitive verdict left Todd searching for closure.
Ultimately, he sent Neal a letter: “I have prayed for you every day since March 25, 2023, and if we have the opportunity, I hope to one day to pray for you in person.” For Todd, the resolution came not from politics or the courts, but from a personal act of forgiveness — even without expecting a reply.
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