During a March 14 status hearing prosecutors experienced a delay on their DNA evidence due to missing a large amount of other evidence in the case.
James Harper, 39, is charged with second-degree murder while armed in the shooting of 39-year-old Bret Desmarteau on May 27, 2021, on the 100 block of Sheridan Street, NE.
Despite the lack of DNA evidence, both parties requested that the jury trial date remain the same.
DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’keefe granted the motion to keep the jury trial date and also gave both parties a hard deadline on giving motion statements as well as expert notices. The deadline set was April 24.
The next hearing is scheduled for May 22.
