Defense and Prosecution Rest Their Cases In 2013 Murder Trial

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On June 15, defense and prosecuting attorneys rested their cases in a multi-week murder trial.

Victor Coley, 60, was found guilty in 2015 for his involvement in a shooting that injured four individuals on Nov. 6, 2013 on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE. He was convicted on 13 charges, including assault with intent to kill and possession of a firearm.

In 2021, 65-year-old Dennis Foster, one of Coley’s victims, succumbed to his wounds. As a result, Coley was charged with 17 counts, including first-degree murder, in 2022 and is now standing trial again as an extension of the original case. 

DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan oversaw the testimony and examination of three witnesses.

The defense called an investigator who took measurements of the area around the crime scene. He testified to certain distances the perpetrator of the crime would have traveled while evading police capture shortly after the shooting.

Defense attorneys then called a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sergeant who initially arrested Coley on the scene of the crime. His testimony gave insight into Coley’s behavior upon confrontation with police.  

Initially, said the witness, Coley was noncompliant. The witness said he told Coley, “I have a one-way ticket to Jesus if you don’t stop.”

The witness then testified to some of the objects recovered from Coley’s possessions following his arrest, including a wallet and a small knife. 

The prosecution, as part of their rebuttal case, called a surgeon at a nearby hospital to help the jury understand Coley’s medical records from the period preceding the crime. 

The doctor testified that Coley had both a defibrillator and a pacemaker, which should have regulated his heart enough to allow him to engage in physical activity comparable to the average person his age.

Upon cross examination, however, the witness agreed with defense attorneys that he had no knowledge of Coley’s actual physical capabilities at the time. 


In a note left to the judge, a juror with a medical degree claimed they recognized inaccuracies in the doctor’s testimony to the court. 

In order to prevent further confusion, the judge and both parties will be reviewing the testimony and will come to a consensus on how to instruct the juror to proceed. 

Parties are set to return for closing arguments on June 20.