Officer Testifies Stabbing Victim was ‘Barely Alive’

By Jenna Lee - November 1, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | stabbing | Suspects |

A police officer who responded to the scene testified in a stabbing case that the victim was “barely alive” in DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt’s courtroom on Oct. 31. 

Devan Green, 30, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, kidnapping while armed, kidnapping while armed against a minor, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and simple assault. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in a domestic stabbing incident on Sept. 19, 2023, on the 500 block of 58th Street, NE, seriously wounding an individual.

Prosecutors during their opening statement said the defendant stabbed the victim, who was his girlfriend, 21 times because he was jealous about the victim’s being on the phone with a man. According to prosecutors, the defendant got frequently jealous and “violent,” and on the night of the stabbing he decided he was going to kill her. 

“What he intended to do was kill her,” the prosecutor said. 

Lee Smith, Green’s attorney, said in his opening statement that Green is “wrongly accused” and acted in self-defense. He said the victim attacked Green first by biting him on the leg and the defendant feared for his life once the victim’s family arrived because he thought they were going to attack him.

Prosecutors called the first officer to respond to the scene. The officer testified that the victim was “barely alive” when she arrived on scene and was lying on the floor covered in blood. She said the scene was “brutal” and “violent.” 

Prosecutors played the officer’s body-worn camera which showed officers responding to the multiple stab wounds on the victim’s chest, back, and neck. 

Another officer who responded to the scene testified that the victim said, “He tried to kill me” while he was tending to her wounds. 

An additional officer who responded said she went into a back bedroom and found a child. Prosecutors played her body-worn camera which showed the officer talking to the little boy. In the video, the boy said his dad’s name was Devan. 

“He tried to kill my mom,” the boy said in the video. 

Parties are set to reconvene on Nov. 4.