Counsel Delivers Closing Arguments in Murder Trial

By D.C. Witness Staff - December 4, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

The prosecution began their opening arguments by showing the jury, once again, an image of a victim laying dead on the floor. 

Sean Baker, 40, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 35-year-old Robert Wiggins on the 300 block of 37th Street, SE on Jan. 31. Baker was initially charged with assault with the intent to kill. Baker is a transgender woman.

Along with the photo, the prosecutor also showed the jury a text message from Baker. “We’re not through because I said we’re not through don’t you know I’ll fight for mine,” Baker said in the text. 

The prosecutor also recounted Baker’s friend’s testimony. The friend told the jury that Baker said, “I’m going to kill him” after she caught Wiggins cheating.

This shows the extreme lengths Baker would go to address Wiggin’s behavior, the prosecutor said. She also said Baker premeditated and planned to kill Wiggins because Baker was obsessive and jealous.

The prosecutor said Baker killed Wiggins because she was tired of Wiggins cheating. The prosecutor told the jury that Baker should be found guilty of first-degree murder.

However, Baker’s defense attorney, Dominique Winters, told a different version of the story. She said Baker was acting to defend herself and the police failed to investigate the victim’s violence and aggression.

“You can’t trust anything the government is saying in this case,” said Winters.

Winters said Baker did not intend to kill Wiggins and that the one stab wound Wiggins sustained was evidence of that. 

“For the prosecution to suggest otherwise is as far-fetched as it is ridiculous,” said Winters.

Winters showed the jury a photo of Baker after she had been beaten up. Apparently, Wiggins sent the photo to a lot of people on Christmas day in 2015.

During his rebuttal, the prosecutor called Winters’ closing argument a reality TV show. 

“If there is no accident, if there is no self-defense, the last thing left is murder,” said the prosecutor.

The jury is scheduled to start deliberations on Dec. 4.