2 Defendants Held During Initial Hearings

By D.C. Witness Staff - October 30, 2020
Featured | Homicides | Suspects |

A DC Superior Court judge released 12 defendants during initial hearings on Oct. 30, while two were held at DC Jail.

Renardo Brown is being charged with contempt and unlawful entry to private property.  Brown, 57, was seen inside of a Home Depot that he was previously barred from on the 900 block of Rhode Island Avenue, NE. During his hearing, defense counsel requested he be released due to his lack of a serious criminal history. Brown also had nine outstanding warrants for failing to appear at his hearings for nonviolent, misdemeanor charges.

 Judge Juliet McKenna ordered he be held after saying Brown was given multiple chances to comply with his release conditions but failed to do so.

Cameron Smith, 30, is being charged with assault on a police officer while armed. He is also charged as a fugitive from justice from Maryland in a separate case. 

An officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) was flagged down by a citizen on the 1400 block of H Street, NE on Oct. 27. According to court documents, the citizen claimed his vehicle had been hit by another car, and gestured to the alleged vehicle responsible. 

An officer with MPD attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver fled. During the pursuit, the officer’s vehicle was hit twice by the suspect’s vehicle. MPD was able to apprehend the suspect on East Capitol Street NE. The driver was identified as Smith. After running the tags on Smith’s vehicle, MPD discovered he was also wanted for homicide in Maryland.

Judge McKenna ordered Smith be held, due to the nature of his outstanding arrest warrant and the serious allegations in the police assault case.

Of those who were released, three defendants are charged in domestic violence cases. Their charges include destruction of property less than $1,000, attempted threats to do bodily harm, second-degree theft and simple assault. All three defendants were released with stay away orders from the alleged victims.

Four defendants with fugitive charges were also released. Three of the defendants were ordered to turn themselves in to the demanding jurisdictions.

The other defendant, a fugitive from Virginia with a larceny charge, has been in the hospital since Oct. 10 but was released on Oct. 30. He was served with a notice to re-appear in court on Nov. 2.

Judge McKenna released one defendant charged with a felony. The defendant, charged with possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, was ordered not to possess any firearms or ammunition in DC while his case is pending.

Two misdemeanor defendants were released. One, charged with second-degree theft, was ordered to report to the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA), and the other, charged with simple assault, was issued a stay away order.

Judge McKenna released two defendants who were brought in on bench warrants for failing to appear at their hearings. One of the defendants had failed to appear at a probation hearing, and the judge decided to terminate his probation successfully.

Additionally, nine defendants did not have charges filed against them by the prosecution.