A recalcitrant witness for the prosecution cut off a lawyer’s probing questions during testimony in a murder trial before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on Oct. 15.
Reginald Steele, 26, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy, ten counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, 11 counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, four counts of carrying a pistol without a license, two counts of tampering with physical evidence, and five counts of possession of an unregistered firearm.
The charges are in connection to his alleged involvement in four shootings, including the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes, at the 600 block of S Street, NW, on March 1, 2020. Another individual sustained injuries during the incident.
Steele was also allegedly involved in a non-fatal shooting on March 1, 2020 at the unit block of Channing Street, NE, and a non-fatal shooting on Feb. 22, 2020 at the 700 block of Farragut Street, NW, where no individuals sustained injuries.
The killing and serial shootings are said to be the result of a feud between rival criminal gangs from different neighborhoods.
A witness returned to the stand after his credibility was challenged multiple times during his testimony the previous week. Through the use of police body-worn camera footage when his recollection apparently failed him, the witness testified that he spoke to officers about four people he saw in a vehicle that may have been a Kia Soul on Feb. 22, 2020.
As the vehicle pulled away, the witness heard multiple shots fired and ran into his girlfriend’s house for safety.
The witness obstinately answered some of the prosecutor’s questions interrupting with his own queries but not providing specific answers. For example, why he did not want to come out of the house to speak to police after hearing shots fired.
“Would you come outside if you heard shots?” he responded. He would not explain further, even when asked by both the prosecution and the judge to answer without a question.
Additionally, he interrupted the prosecutor several times in frustration when asked follow-up questions about his statement to the police, which had been adopted as part of his grand jury testimony. It was used several times during the hearing to impeach his credibility when he answered “I don’t know” to several questions, including whether he’d spoken to a second officer.
In his grand jury testimony, the witness testified that he spoke to multiple officers. This statement was corroborated by body-worn camera footage from the officers he spoke to on the day of the incident.
The witness admitted earlier during his testimony that he did not want to be in court testifying. He also told defense attorney Megan Allburn that he had not wanted to talk to the police on the day of the shooting either, because he did not think he had anything to say that would help them.
Parties are slated to reconvene Oct. 16.
