A doctor testified before DC Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean regarding injuries a shooting victim sustained during a Sept. 22 trial.
Larry Carr, 21, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, six counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license.
Carr’s charges are in connection to his alleged involvement in the non-fatal shooting of his cousin on Oct. 22, 2023, at the 100 block of Ridge Road, SE.
The prosecution called a trauma and emergency general surgeon who treated the victim to testify.
The doctor testified that he received a call from Emergency Medical Services (EMS) on Oct. 22, 2023, about a patient with a penetrating wound to the left side of his face.
The doctor testified that upon the victim’s arrival at the hospital, EMS noted that the victim had been vomiting, causing doctors to quickly intubate and sedate the victim to conduct a standard trauma evaluation.
The doctor testified that the victim remained sedated for at least a week, typically known as a medical coma.
During this period, the doctor testified, he ordered a brain and face catscan, as well as an angiogram to look inside the victim’s neck. The doctor testified that these tests revealed no brain injuries, that multiple bones had been fractured in the victim’s face, and that his left vertebral artery was blocked, which supplies blood flow to the brain.
The doctor testified that the victim was admitted on Oct. 23, 2023, and remained a patient at the hospital until his discharge date on Dec. 5, 2023. Throughout his stay at the hospital, the doctor testified that the victim underwent operations from neuro, plastic, and oral surgery teams, in addition to a procedure on Oct. 30 to place a breathing tube in the victim’s neck.
The defense did not cross-examine the witness, and the jury was then excused.
Carr’s defense attorney, Teresa Kleinman, filed a motion for judgment of acquittal based on the prosecution’s evidence, which Kleinman claimed did not prove that Carr was not acting in self-defense.
Kleinman referenced eyewitness testimonials from three of Carr’s family members. The defense suggested that the victim advanced at Carr with a knife, given where he was found by EMS after being shot, as opposed to where he was described to be at the beginning of the altercation.
With that, Kleinman noted that Carr was also being verbally threatened by the victim, according to one eyewitness who testified on Sept. 19, who said that the victim told Carr, “One of us is not going to make it out alive.”
Kleinman suggested that Carr fired one random, quick shot. Kleinman continued to argue that Carr even put the gun in his waistband without instruction, as another witness testified that at one point she thought the issue was resolved, as the gun was not visible.
However, Judge McLean found it reasonable that Carr could be found guilty without reasonable doubt and denied the defense’s motion.
The defense then called for Carr’s older brother to take the stand.
While the defendant’s brother was not present for the shooting that occurred on Oct. 22, 2023, he testified that he was present and witnessed the victim, his cousin and then best friend, assault a child on a bus that he described as “slow or autistic” on July 2, 2023.
The defendant’s brother testified he did not participate in the assault and that he later told his little sister and Carr about the incident.
Meanwhile, the prosecution asked the defendant’s brother about a social media post that he made to expose the victim, who had allegedly exposed his genitalia to Carr’s little sister. The social media post was never presented to the jury.
The defendant’s brother testified that he did make the post, and that he was no longer friends with the victim following that incident.
The prosecution also asked the defendant’s brother if he believed that the victim got what he deserved, to which he testified, saying, “I would not say that.”
Prosecutors presented a song posted by the defendant’s brother, in which, within 15 seconds, the song’s lyrics suggested the defendant’s brother wished to kill his cousin.
During cross-examination, the defense asked if Carr had any involvement in the making of the song but apparently Carr was not involved.
The trial is set to continue Sept. 23.
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Luci Garza
