A homicide defendant pleaded not guilty and was denied release on Aug. 21 by DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park. His co-defendant was ordered to undergo mental evaluations.
Corey Noble, 28, and Zyon Humphrey, 26, are charged with first-degree murder while armed, attempted robbery while armed, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for their alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Tre’Von Norman on March 20, 2025 on the 2400 block of Elvans Road, SE.
During the hearing, Noble’s attorney, Madalyn Harvey, requested he be screened for competency concerns. Judge Park granted the request, and ordered Noble be arraigned at a later date, if he’s found competent.
Jesse Winograd, Humphrey’s attorney, alerted the court of his intent to plead not guilty to all charges, and asserted his constitutional rights, including the right to a speedy trial.
Winograd also requested Humphrey be released, arguing Humphrey is not charged as a shooter, but rather an aider and abettor– someone who knowingly assisted someone else to commit a crime.
“There are no allegations that [Humphrey] ever had a gun, or knew the gun was going to come out,” Winograd stated, adding the prosecution has claimed he “somehow lured the victim to the area,” before it turned into a “botched robbery.”
According to Winograd, prosecutors connected Humphrey to the incident because of text messages, despite none of them referring to a gun, robbery, or the watch that the suspects allegedly wanted to steal from Norman.
Winograd further argued that any statements made to police by Humphrey shouldn’t bear significant weight due to Humphrey being in a hospital, “halfway out of it, and trying to remember” after he was shot.
He requested Humphrey be released to continue working at an HVAC company, where he was employed before his arrest.
However, the prosecution objected to the request, claiming the reason Norman went to the incident location was because Humphrey told him to meet him there. According to the prosecution, Norman and Humphrey knew each other growing up, and Humphrey reached out to Norman about watches he was selling on Instagram.
“Humphrey is the reason [Norman] was there that day,” the prosecution insisted. The prosecution further argued that cell site data put Humphrey in the general area of the incident location at the time of the murder.
According to the prosecution, Noble, who they claim was the shooter, “armed himself and masked up simultaneously” as Humphrey texted Norman about the car he was in and where he parked.
“The community is safer with him incarcerated,” the prosecutor stated.
Judge Park agreed with the prosecution, and ordered Humphrey continue to be held pending further proceedings.
Parties are slated to reconvene Aug. 28.
