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By
John Battistelli
- March 5, 2025
Court
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Daily Stories
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Non-Fatal Shooting
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The prosecution gave their opening statement in a non-fatal shooting trial involving children before DC Superior Court Judge Deborah Israel on March 4.
Diamond Early, 32, is charged with assault with significant bodily injury while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, simple assault, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition for her alleged involvement in a shooting that left one victim injured in the leg on July 31, 2023 on the 4000 block of Kansas Avenue, NW.
The prosecution gave their opening statement, explaining that the victim and her children were visiting a relative for a birthday celebration when their children and many other kids of the area began playing. This included two children of Early’s.
Then the children began fighting, and Early allegedly slapped one of the victim’s children. The victim and her relative returned home from a store and confronted Early, leading to a verbal altercation. Early then allegedly pulled out a gun and shot the victim in her leg before fleeing the scene. The prosecution concluded their opening by stating that “It was not reasonable… for the defendant to shoot [the victim] that day.”
Prior to the prosecution’s opening, they opposed a motion to sever the simple assault charge from this case. They stated that the simple assault, stemmed from Early allegedly hitting the child, directly led to the altercation that ended with the shooting. Early’s attorney, Antoini Jones, questioned why that charge was only added on Feb. 5 when the incident happened nearly two years ago.
Judge Israel denied the motion, emphasizing that all of the charges connect to one overall interaction.
Parties are slated to reconvene on March 5.