Thank you for reading D.C. Witness.
Help us continue our mission into 2025 by donating to our end of year campaign.
By
Rachel Benck [former]
- March 29, 2023
Court
|
Daily Stories
|
Homicides
|
Shooting
|
Suspects
|
Victims
|
The murder trial for six defendants accused in the shooting of a 10-year-old girl continued March 28 after one of the six co-defendants’ release was revoked in a separate hearing, minutes before.
Gregory Taylor, 26, Quentin Michals, 25, Qujuan Thomas, 24, Darrise Jeffers, 23, Isaiah Murchison, 22, and Marquell Cobbs, 21, are six of 10 defendants charged with first-degree murder, criminal street gang affiliation, conspiracy, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to kill, and other charges regarding a fatal drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson. The shooting happened on the 300 block of 53rd Street, NE on July 16, 2018.
According to the prosecution, Cobbs was arrested in Maryland and charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl pills and illegal possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime.
Cobbs had been free since May of 2019, but due to his arrest DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun found probable cause and revoked his release. Cobbs was the only one out of the six defendants on release since he wasn’t present at the time of the shooting.
The prosecution called multiple former employees of DC’s Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) who were assigned to process the vehicle, and its contents, that was allegedly used in the crime.
The vehicle was found thanks to a tip in the form of a text that pointed detectives to the 3500 block of Burton Court in Maryland. While processing the vehicle the forensic experts found potential fingerprints, fired and unfired bullets, and swabbed commonly touched areas for potential DNA samples.
However, during her cross-examination, Murchison’s attorney, Carrie Weletz, revealed to the jury that DFS lost its accreditation in 2021 when the unit came under fire for how it was analyzing DNA evidence. Still, this was three years after the vehicle in question was processed.
The defense was unable to cross-examine the last witness called by the prosecution, so all parties are scheduled to reconvene and continue questioning on March 29.