DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe found probable cause to move ahead with the prosecution and denied release for two teen carjacking co-defendants on Aug. 8.
Dekhyri Greene, 17, and Denhym Boykins, 16, are charged with armed carjacking, robbery while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unauthorized use of a vehicle for their alleged involvement in an incident that occurred on Aug. 7 on the 1000 block of Mississippi Avenue, SE. Greene and Boykins are being charged under Title 16, which allows juveniles to be charged as adults for certain serious offenses.
During Greene and Boykins’ preliminary hearing, the prosecution called a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective to the stand who recounted the incident. The detective said that according to the victim, three individuals approached the driver side of her vehicle, two holding firearms.
The victim told the detective she put her hands up and ran, leaving her two cellphones, keys, and personal belongings in the car. The victim was able to track down an MPD officer who responded to the scene.
An MPD helicopter tracked the stolen car using thermal technology 58 minutes after the incident occurred. Officers conducted a traffic stop before the vehicle crashed and MPD identified a person said to be Boykins inside the vehicle. Most of the victim’s belongings were missing from her car when police found it, including garbage bags full of clothing, a birth certificate, and a brown purse.
The detective interviewed the victim, who provided descriptions of the suspects. The victim described one as a black male and did not mention his clothing, skin tone or age. The detective said MPD later identified the suspect she described as a person said to be Boykins.
The victim said the second suspect was a black male who wore a black hoodie and a black ski mask and held a black handgun. MPD allegedly identified the suspect as Greene, and was located by a canine unit in an alley near the location of the crashed car.
The detective testified that he was present when the carjacking victim identified Greene and Boykins. The helicopter lost track of the third suspect, and the MPD detective confirmed that the first suspect, who according to the victim, never got off his Lime scooter.
Boykins’ defense attorney, Carrie Weletz, argued that no one knows what happened during the 58 minutes after the incident occurred when MPD couldn’t track the vehicle. Weletz asserted that people could have entered or exited the vehicle.
Weletz further argued that the victim provided limited details to identify Boykins because identifying a suspect as a black male is very broad. Weletz added that the detective described Boykins as wearing a COVID mask and Nike hat with a “big swoosh” during his interview at the police station, and the victim didn’t include these details.
Weletz also said there is no evidence Boykins had a weapon on him, despite one being recovered from the vehicle.
Greene’s attorney, Varsha Govindaraju, added that none of the items stolen from the victim’s vehicle were recovered and Govindaraji agreed with Weletz that the 58 minutes that lapsed when police could not find the vehicle could have included different suspects.
Govindaraju further argued that Greene had no gun and was found blocks away from where the car crashed. She said the victim’s general description did not include anything distinctive about Greene, and the victim’s two-to-three minute pause before identifying Greene makes it a “highly suggestive ID.”
Judge Pipe found probable cause, however, explaining that the suspects were located in and near the stolen vehicle and the victim identified both Green and Boykins twice. The judge noted that the stolen items from the vehicle not being recovered doesn’t negate probable cause.
Following the probable cause finding, the prosecution argued to hold Greene and Boykins, saying that the incident details are “terrifying.” The prosecution added that the juvenile curfew in DC is 11 p. m., and the defendants were in allegedly out after 1 a. m..
Weletz argued for Boykins’ because of questionable identification. She said there are conditions of release that can ensure the safety of the community, like GPS monitoring and home confinement except for school.
Weletz further argued that Boykins has no criminal history, is going into his junior year of high school, and is on the junior varsity football team. She said he received an individualized education program in school and will get a better education in the community than in jail.
Judge Pipe ruled to detain Boykins because the crime is of “exceptional concern.” She reiterated that there are two positive identifications with some specificity and the car was found within the hour it was stolen.
Govindaraju also argued to release Greene with GPS monitoring because he starts his senior year soon and is quarterback of his football team. She said being out past the curfew was “abnormal”and out of character for Greene.
“It brings me no joy to see someone who clearly has so much promise to be sitting in the seat he is right now and with the charges he has right now,” Judge Pipe said about Greene.
Judge Pipe cited the same reasons for Boykins’ continued detention, and said although the weight of the evidence may not lead to a conviction, there is some specificity.
Parties are slated to reconvene Aug. 18.
