During a motion hearing on April 21, DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo pushed a homicide trial date, for three co-defendants, back by two weeks to give one of the defense attorneys more time to prepare.
Vorreze Thomas, Jr., 25, Brianca Phillips, 26, and Delonta Stevenson, 28, are charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with the death of 32-year-old Terrance Allen. Allen was shot and killed on the 3000 block of Stanton Road, SE, on Jan. 18, 2021.
At the hearing, defense attorney Elizabeth Weller, who is representing Stevenson, explained that she had filed a motion to continue the trial date as she is currently serving as counsel in an ongoing homicide trial involving six co-defendants. Weller requested the delay because the trial is lasting longer than intended and she has not had enough time to prepare.
Weller also said she is willing to push back a later trial that she will be starting in June to proceed with the co-defendant trial then.
Stevenson and Thomas are currently being held at the DC Jail. Because all of the defendants in Weller’s June case are on release, the three co-defendant trial takes priority.
Judge Demeo agreed to the request. The trial is now scheduled to begin on June 1.
The defense also filed three motions to sever the defendants, so their cases could be heard separately. These motions were discussed privately and will be ruled on at a later hearing.
The next motion hearing is scheduled for May 12.
