On the fifth day of the prosecution’s case in a triple-homicide trial, on June 2, DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz called upon the third alternate juror because of another panel member’s continued illness.
Jalonte Thompkins, 34, is charged with three counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction greater than a year for his alleged involvement in a fatal shooting on Aug. 5, 2023, of three brothers, 34-year-old James Morgan, 30-year-old Jamal Morgan, and 42-year-old Vincent Martin, on the 2500 block of Ontario Road, NW.
The trial that was scheduled to resume in the morning was postponed to the afternoon due to a juror’s health issue. Parties agreed to excuse the missing member, and noted that they had now called on three of the four alternate jury members. Judge Kravitz commented that perhaps the jurors should be bubble wrapped so they do not lose more of them. Later, before proceedings closed for the day, Judge Kravitz reminded the jury to “remember bubblewrap.”
In the afternoon, the prosecution called a bystander who was close to James and testified to going out with him on the night of Aug. 4, 2023. She said she drove James to a club and gave him her car keys before they entered. James’ friend said she did not see James with a gun that night, nor did she see a gun in her car at any point that night.
On cross examination, Thompkins’ attorney, Brandi Harden, confirmed with the witness that since she gave her car keys to James, she did not know whether any gun was put in or taken out of her car.
An expert in forensic pathology who conducted Martin’s autopsy concluded he died from complications of gunshot wounds, ruling it as a homicide.
The prosecution called a firearms and tool markings analyst who tested two firearms and 52 bullet casings found at the crime scene to determine if the casings matched the firearms. The firearms expert found that 11 casings were consistent with markings from the 40 caliber gun recovered, and that 12 casings were consistent with the nine millimeter firearm.
In cross-examination, Harden noted that the firearms examiner’s company earned $1.5 million from the prosecution’s contracts alone. In addition, Harden revealed that despite working hundreds of court cases, the examiner had only testified for the defense on three occasions.
The prosecution also called a crime scene analyst who worked for the Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) in 2023. He testified to collecting DNA samples, blood cards, and projectiles from the crime scene.
Judge Kravitiz concluded the proceedings by asking the parties whether he should order a subpoena to a medical examiner who performed two of the three autopsies. The parties previously discussed at a June 1 hearing that the witness refused to testify in-person until June 19.
The prosecution stated that while this order would be helpful, they didn’t want to create a precedent that forces people to testify. While parties agreed that a subpoena was unnecessary, court documents show that Judge Kravitz issued an order forcing an in-person testimony after the hearing.
Parties are set to reconvene on June 3.
