The defense claimed on March 6 a stabbing defendant was a victim, not the aggressor in an incident before DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe.
Thelma Speed, 36, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in connection to her alleged involvement in the stabbing of a man on the 200 block of 51st Street, NE on Feb. 6, 2026. The man sustained injuries to both his hands and his forearm.
According to court documents, the man told police the stabbing occurred after a verbal argument with Speed. He said he fled to a neighbor’s apartment in the same building until police arrived on scene.
In court, Speed’s attorney, Darryl Daniels, requested the defendant be released. Daniels argued that she was actually a victim of domestic violence, not the aggressor in the situation, although their relationship was not clear.
“You can’t see it now, but she had a shiner on her eye,” Daniels said about Speed.
Judge Pipe reminded the parties that Speed had reported to officers that the lacerations on her face had nothing to do with the incident. Speed also has a history of assault charges in New Jersey and the facts of this case present her conduct as “very concerning,” Judge Pipe said.
When denying her release, Judge Pipe said “there are no conditions or combination of conditions” that could warrant releasing Speed and ensuring the safety of the community.
Parties are slated to reconvene March 30.
