Sex Abuse Defendant’s Sentencing Postponed

By Bersabel Ephrem [former] - January 27, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Sex Abuse | Sexual Assault | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun continued a sentencing hearing, so the defendant could review the paperwork regarding the sentencing to effectively represent himself.

Akiem Williams, 38, was detained and charged on Oct. 1, 2020, in connection with an incident that occurred on Sept. 6, 2020, on the 800 block of Quincy Street, NW. The victim, Giselle Hartzog, passed away in 2021 for unrelated reasons, but she told detectives, at the time, that Williams followed her out of the nearby Metro station, chased her into the lobby of an apartment building, beat her and pulled at her clothing.

The prosecutor said she gave the paperwork to Williams stand by counsel, Howard McEachern.

Williams asked Judge Okun why the prosecution sent the paperwork through McEachern and not directly to him since he is representing himself in this case.

McEachern stated that he went to the DC Jail a few days before the sentencing hearing and provided Williams the paperwork.

“I haven’t seen anything,” Williams replied.

“The pre-sentence report is a 47 page document,” Judge Okun said. “This makes me very concerned about continuing with the sentencing today. There is a lot of material that Williams himself hasn’t seen, and I’m not going to force him to read it and respond in open court today.”

The sentencing is scheduled to continue on Feb. 1.