16-Year-Old Murder Defendant Should Remain in Jail, Prosecutor Says

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 19, 2018
Court | Homicides | Policy | Suspects |

During a felony status conference, a prosecutor argued that a 16-year-old murder defendant should be held in jail and not at a youth rehabilitation facility.

Titus Iracks is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Larry Harrell on the 1200 block of Mount Olivet Road, NE on June 13. According to court documents, police found Harrell, 43, lying in a parking lot suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Harrell was pronounced dead on the scene.

Iracks, who was charged as an adult, is currently being held in the DC Jail, according to the DC Department of Corrections.

On July 17, the prosecution told DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson that based on her substantial probability finding, DC law mandates that Iracks be held in jail. The prosecutor said the allegations against Iracks make him a danger to the population if he is housed at New Beginnings, a male youth development facility in Maryland. She also said New Beginnings was not prepared to care for additional youths and that there were complaints from staff about safety.

New Beginnings Senior Deputy Director Linda Harper told Judge Dayson that New Beginnings is fully prepared to care for Iracks and said that when he was previously housed there, for an unrelated case, he was not a “troublemaker.” She also said there is a range of feelings among the staff about the possibility of a population increase, but that New Beginnings currently houses less than 20 youth even though its present funding allows for 60.

Iracks’ defense attorney, Ronald Resetarits, argued that his client should be transferred to the youth facility not only because of the educational and vocational services made available there but because of the law. According to the  Comprehensive Youth Justice Amendment Act of 2016 , DC Jail will be required to transfer all juveniles to the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services by Oct. 1. 

“He’s going to be locked up, it’s just a better place,” Resetarits said. “We want him to be better for the future.  Not scarred from incarceration.”

Judge Dayson said she would need to conduct further research before making her ruling.

Iracks is scheduled for a felony status conference on July 27.