Number of Guns Involved in Fatal Shooting Questioned

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A homicide trial continued on Feb. 4, with three expert witnesses testifying in front of DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson. One area of contention was the number of guns linked to the crime.

Aaron Murchison, 28, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Jamontate Brown, 32, on Oct. 16, 2022, on the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road, SE.

The prosecution and defense counsel debated potential implicit prejudicial bias in new photo evidence, which Kevann Gardner, Murchison’s attorney, claims unnecessarily depicts the defendant and known affiliates with drugs and profanity.

An expert witness, forensic firearm and toolmark examiner, testified to his role in processing the ballistic evidence recovered from the crime scene and identifying characteristics consistent with being fired from the same weapon.

Based on his ammunition analysis conducted on the collected bullet fragments and cartridge, the witness concluded there were at least 10 firearms associated with the recovered ammunition.

Gardner emphasized that ballistic evidence suggested a total of 30 possible firearms connected to the incident. The witness confirmed he was unable to say to a degree of certainty that a casing or fragment was fired from a particular firearm.

The witness also reviewed a crime scene map highlighting the location of collected evidence and confirmed it was created by the prosecution. Gardner argued that this map was problematic because the prosecution was able to choose which items to group together which he said created a misleading portrayal of the number of firearms involved.

Gardner raised the possibility of the ballistic evidence being accidentally disturbed by civilians between the time of the crime and the time of police canvassing.

A specialist from the US Attorneys Office, responsible for reviewing video and technological evidence, compiled a time sequence of security camera footage of the crime scene and surrounding area during the time of the incident.

Defense attorney Bernadette Armand noted the lack of footage covering locations next to the crime scene. The witness confirmed he didn’t have security camera footage for the nearby areas.

Armand also noted there was no video evidence of Murchison shooting a firearm.

Trial is set to resume Feb. 5.