Judge Denies Severance of Homicide Co-Defendants' Trials

Thank you for reading D.C. Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe denied a motion to sever two “mutually hostile” homicide co-defendants from having a joint trial, asserting on June 21 that the “jury will not infer guilt” from one defendant to another.

Maurice Williams, 21, and Seaun McDowney, 20, are charged with first-degree murder while armed, attempt to commit a robbery while armed, conspiracy, and two counts of possession of a firearm for their alleged involvement in a robbery and fatal shooting of Marquette White, 20, on Jan. 21, 2022 at the 3800 block of Commodore Joshua Barney Drive, NE.

McDowney’s defense attorney, Kevin Mosley, and Williams’ defense attorney, Brian McDaniel, filed separate severance motions and made arguments at a previous hearing on April 12.

Both defense counsels argued that a joint trial would substantially and unfairly prejudice the other defendant.

Mosley stated in his written motion that his client would like to call Williams to the stand because he would provide “compelling” exculpatory testimony.

Although Judge O’Keefe recognized the defenses were “adversarial,” “irreconcilable,” and attempting to place blame on each other, he denied the motion to sever.

Judge O’Keefe argued that he did not believe there was a valid basis to sever based on evidence that seemed to implicate both defendants. He stated the conflict between the defenses alone “would not sway the jury.”

Judge O’Keefe also added that separate trials would place an undue burden on the prosecution and would not be an efficient way to proceed.

The parties are slated to return on July 12.

Judge Denies Severance of Homicide Co-Defendants’ Trials