A defense attorney in DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz’s courtroom on Aug. 7 asked to withdraw from a case because his client refused to meet with him or come to court.
Tiffany Taylor-Gray, 24, is charged with felony murder while armed, robbery, second-degree burglary, first-degree theft, aggravated first-degree theft, second-degree theft, second-degree fraud of $1,000 or more, and first-degree identity theft. The charges stem from her alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of 53-year-old Fasil Teklemariam on April 5, 2025, on the 1300 block of Peabody Street, NW. Teklemariam suffered one stab wound that punctured his stomach, small intestine, aorta, and struck his spine.
Taylor-Gray’s co-defendants, 36-year-old Tommy Whack and 21-year-old Audrey Miller, face charges for their alleged involvement in the same offense. Whack is charged with felony murder while armed, armed robbery, and second-degree burglary. Miller is charged with first-degree murder while armed.
The motions hearing was only scheduled for Taylor-Gray. However, according to the US Marshals, she refused to leave the jail that morning.
“By my calculations, this is the third time that Ms. Gray has refused to come to court,” A. Eduardo Balarezo, Taylor-Gray’s attorney, said.
Balarezo also contended that Taylor-Gray refused legal meetings with him on eight occasions when he went to the jail to speak with her. When she did meet with him, she refused to review the case, he said.
“I cannot represent her effectively under these circumstances,” Balarezo said.
Balarezo filed a motion to withdraw as Taylor-Gray’s counsel on July 13.
Judge Kravitz did not rule on the motion, as he didn’t want to make a decision without Taylor-Gray’s presence, he explained.
Judge Kravitz said he would ask another defense attorney to go to the jail and see if Taylor-Gray would agree to meet with them. The judge and Balarezo agreed that the attorney should be a woman.
Balarezo said he’s unsure whether the issue is personal, as Taylor-Gray had not explicitly complained about his services. Judge Kravitz emphasized that appointing another attorney was worth a try.
The prosecution agreed, and said a new attorney might kindle Taylor-Gray’s interest to become involved in her case again.
Judge Kravitz added that Taylor-Gray had refused to come to court the past summer, but once she did in September 2025, she said she felt better and on new medication. However, she has not been back to court since her arraignment on Nov. 21, 2025, Judge Kravitz said.
Parties are set to reconvene on Aug. 28. Judge Kravitz said he would ensure that another attorney meets with Taylor-Gray before then.
