DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan released a teen homicide defendant after he apparently experienced a seizure during a status hearing on March 26.
Keyonte Johnson, 16, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Roy Bennett Jr. on the 300 block of Morse Street, NE on Dec. 5, 2025. Bennett sustained seven gunshot wounds.
Johnson is charged under Title 16, which allows prosecutors to try juveniles as adults for certain serious offenses.
An educational support advocate appeared on behalf of Johnson to discuss his conditions in the Youth Services Center (YSC). The support advocate stated that Johnson has not been receiving proper education or medical attention. According to the advocate, the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) is violating the law.
According to the advocate, Johnson, who has epilepsy, is not receiving proper medical treatment, and there may be something wrong with the dosage of his medication.
Defense attorney Jesse Winograd asked Judge Ryan to release Johnson on home confinement so that he can receive the medical care he requires and attend school. Winograd additionally stated that YSC has not allowed him to get access to Johnson’s medical records. The defense also requested that Johnson be able to join a five-day program at a children’s hospital, where he would receive medical attention and an education.
Then in a dramatic moment, Johnson showed signs of a seizure and received emergency medical attention in the courtroom.
Following the incident, Winograd stated that although Johnson experiences seizures regularly, this one appeared to be worse than normal.
Winograd continued to argue for Johnson’s release, stating that he is at risk of exposure to pathogens at YSC, which makes his condition worse. According to Winograd, at one point, someone entered YSC with the flu.
Prosecutors conceded that Johnson’s lack of medical and educational resources at YSC is concerning, but stated that there are no conditions of release that will help protect the community. According to the prosecution, Johnson had a history of violent behavior that was both continuous and escalating. Additionally, prosecutors claimed that home confinement wouldn’t prevent Johnson from taking violent action while attending school.
While Judge Ryan had previously found no conditions of release that would ensure community protection, he stated that he would be open to changing his mind, as Johnson’s age and lack of medical attention concerned him. The argument was underscored by the medical emergency that took place during the hearing.
Judge Ryan decided to release Johnson on 24-hour home confinement with exceptions for medical appointments and legal visits. Both therapy and the five-day program will fall under the medical exception. As part of the release conditions, Johnson will be restricted from visiting the area where the incident took place or interacting with anyone who was present during the incident.
Parties will reconvene on April 2 to discuss Johnson’s compliance with release conditions.
