DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe denied release for a defendant accused of stabbing his brother in a hearing on July 2.
Manuel Yeager, 41, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault with significant bodily injury while armed for his alleged involvement in a stabbing that occurred on June 3 on the 2000 block of Q Street, SE. One person was injured.
Defense attorney Darryl Daniels requested Judge Pipe release Yeager based on his minimal criminal history.
The prosecution opposed Yeager’s release stating that he knowingly stabbed his brother who was close to dying. They added that the victim was suffering from extreme blood loss, had an oxygen mask, and was unconscious when emergency services arrived at the scene.
The prosecution also pointed to a prior simple assault case in 2018, in which Yeager had attacked his brother. They cited this as an example of Yeager’s being a significant threat to both the brother and the community.
In response, Daniels asked for home confinement and GPS monitoring. He claimed that Yeager accidentally stabbed his brother after a dispute due to the brother selling drugs at Yeager’s home. He also mentioned that if Yeager was released he would stay at another family member’s home.
Judge Pipe stated that even if this was an accident, the victim almost died. She referred to court documents allegedly showing that Yeager proceeded to punch his brother in the head, drag him down the stairs, and throw him out of the house. Judge Pipe stated “he could have done a lot of things before resorting to violence” and denied the defense’s request for release under home confinement.
Parties are slated to reconvene July 28.
