3 of 10 Defendants Currently in Solitary Confinement

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

During a status hearing Nov. 1, three murder defendants, of 10, challenged their detention in solitary confinement.

Darrise Jeffers along with Saquan Williams, Quincy Garvin, Mark Tee Price, Isaiah Murchison, Antonio Murchison, Gregory Taylor, Marquell Cobbs, Qujuan Thomas, and Quentin Michals are charged with first-degree murder for their alleged involvement in the shooting of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson on the 300 block of 53 Street, NE on July 16, 2018. Quanisha Ramsuer is charged with obstruction of justice in relation to the shooting.  According to court documents, the shooting resulted from a neighborhood rivalry.

During the hearing, attorneys representing Price, Thomas, and Antonio, told the judge that their clients were being held in solitary confinement for no discernible reason, and the defendants do not wish to be held there any longer.

Attorneys Howard McEachern, Linden Fry, and Jason Clark represent Price, Thomas, and Murchison, respectively.

A prosecutor told DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Lee Beck that she did not request that any of defendants be separated from the other or held in solitary.

Judge Beck agreed to schedule a separate hearing for Price, Thomas, and Antonio on Nov. 12 to resolve their confinement. She said that if the issue could be resolved before then the hearing would be vacated.

The other defendants are not being held in solitary confinement.

The prosecutor said that all forensic testing was done on the evidence. A hearing was set to occur on Dec. 2 for all 10 defendants to discuss whether any of them would wish to independently test the evidence.

A bench warrant for Isaiah Murchinson was issued on Aug. 14. Isaiah has not been arrested as of Nov. 1.

Judge Beck discouraged each defendant from independently testing each item on their own, since tests can take up to 60 days. With ten defendants, total testing time could postpone trial for close to two years.

According to the Department of Corrections Price, Thomas and Antonio could not be held in solitary confinement because per, a FOIA request from D.C. Witness, the DOC does not utilize solitary confinement but instead “segregated housing.”

Defendants Michals and Garvin also requested to be released from jail.

Judge Beck denied both requests on the grounds that there are no safe conditions of release.