DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz opened the possibility of a not guilty plea by reason of insanity for a homicide defendant on Aug. 5.
George Sydnor, 46, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, first-degree burglary while armed, and kidnapping while armed and two counts of felony murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of 31-year-old Christy Bautista on March 31, 2023 at a hotel on the 1600 block of New York Avenue, NE.
All offenses were committed during release and each charge has an aggravating circumstance of an especially heinous, atrocious or cruel crime.
According to court documents, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to a 911 call concerning screams originating from Bautista’s hotel room, where she was stabbed approximately 30 times.
Judge Kravitz mentioned that he was under the impression after reading the prosecution’s proffer of facts that the defense might pursue a Frendak inquiry in which Sydnor would plead not guilty by reason of insanity. A Frendak inquiry determines whether a defendant can voluntarily and knowingly waive the insanity defense.
When asked if the defense would be pursuing that approacf, Sydnor’s defense attorney, Jesse Winograd, stated that no issues of competency had ever been raised,
Parties agreed that a Frendak inquiry was not necessary, but stated for the record to Sydnor that, if he wished to pursue such a plea, the option was available to him and he would undergo mental competency evaluations.
Judge Kravitz also scheduled a later date for the defense to formally decide the matter.
Additionally, Winograd entered a motion to dismiss the kidnapping while armed charge, arguing that the detention of the victim, which was around 13 minutes according to Winograd, had not been long enough to count as kidnapping. In the motion, Winograd outlined a court of appeal decision which stated detention under 30 minutes did not amount to a kidnapping.
Judge Kravitz noted that if the kidnapping charge were to be dismissed, one of the felony murder while armed charges would also have to be dismissed as that count is directly connected to kidnapping.
Kravitz believed the motion was premature, and denied it without prejudice, believing the motion would likely be more successful at a later stage.
Parties are slated to reconvene Sept. 12.
