Homicide Defendant Rejects Plea Deal, Judge Orders Competency Screening

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A homicide defendant rejected a plea offer from the prosecution and requested a jury trial before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan on Aug. 30.

Spiro Stafilatos, 36, is charged with second-degree murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and fleeing a law enforcement officer for his alleged involvement in a car crash on the 1400 block of New York Avenue, NW that occurred on Dec. 30, 2022. The incident resulted in the death of 31-year-old Shuyu Sui.

According to Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) documents, Stafilatos fled a traffic stop in his vehicle and collided with another vehicle at the intersection of 14th Street and New York Avenue, NW. As a result of the collision, Stafilatos’ vehicle spun into the crosswalk and hit Sui and another victim while they were crossing the street.

The deal would have required Stafilatos to plead guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and involuntary manslaughter, in exchange for a dismissal of all other charges.

After rejecting the prosecution’s offer, Stafilatos informed Brian McDaniel, his defense attorney, that he was getting help for his mental health issues in jail. As a result, McDaniel asked for a mental competency screening which Judge Raffinan agreed to.

A hearing to review the results of the competency evaluation is scheduled for Sept. 5.