Hospitalized Witness Delays Carjacking Trial

By Laura Berol - August 27, 2024
Carjacking | Court | Daily Stories | Suspects |

DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan granted prosecutors’ request to delay a trial just as arguments were set to begin because the victim, who is the prosecution’s key witness, was in the hospital on Aug. 26.

Daquan Jackson, 28, is charged with unarmed carjacking for his alleged involvement in the theft of a scooter on March 3 on the 1000 block of H Street, NE.  

According to court documents, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers detained Jackson while attempting to drive a scooter after removing its driver.

“The reason for the hospitalization is that [the witness] is the victim of another crime,” the prosecutor said.

“Unrelated to Mr. Jackson?” Judge Raffinan asked.

“We have no reason to believe it is connected,” said the prosecutor.

Sara Kopecki, Jackson’s defense attorney, asked Judge Raffinan to dismiss the case for lack of prosecution. Judge Raffinan denied the motion.

Kopecki argued DC law requires the prosecution to make their request in writing to delay a trial. Since the prosecution had not submitted a written request and didn’t know when the witness would be available, Kopecki asked Judge Raffinan to allow Jackson home detention instead of jail.

Judge Raffinan denied Jackson’s release and gave the prosecution until the end of the day to submit the request for a delay in writing.

Judge Raffinan dismissed the jurors who had been selected on Thursday for the trial. She plans to reschedule the trial once the prosecution knows when the witness will be able to come to court.

Parties are set to reconvene on Aug. 30.