Editor’s note: Aaron Murchison was acquitted of all charges by a jury on Feb. 11, 2025.
The lawyer for a homicide defendant attacked the credibility of an investigating police officer based on past misconduct issues in a trial before DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson on Feb. 5.
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 32-year-old Jamontate Brown on Oct. 16, 2022, on the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road, SE.
When cross-examined by Kevann Gardner the detective admitted he wasn’t involved beyond identification of the defendant.
Gardner homed in on conduct violations against the detective regarding his use of a body-worn camera. According to Gardner, the detective had eight body-worn camera conduct violations in the ten years he was assigned to patrol duty.
Gardner also called on a Public Defender Service (PDS) investigator assigned to the Murchison case to testify on Murchison’s behalf.
The investigator took pictures of the scene, reviewed body-worn camera footage, and went inside the apartment where Murchison was allegedly staying in on the night of the incident.
Prosecutors repeatedly objected to the testimony as irrelevant and hearsay – information received from someone else that cannot be adequately substantiated.
Finally, Judge Dayson dismissed the jury early, stating “I don’t want to sit here all day going through these objections.”
Once the jury left, the prosecution argued the investigator was assigned to the case two years after the incident occurred, therefore any information she knew about the case was second hand
Although she acknowledged the hearsay allegations, Judge Dayson denied the prosecution’s request, allowing the investigator to continue as a witness. Due to time constraints, she will continue her testimony on Feb. 6.
Parties are slated to reconvene on Feb. 6.
