Prosecution Failed to Comply with Court Order, Defense Says

Thank you for reading D.C. Witness.
Help us continue our mission into 2025 by donating to our end of year campaign.

Donate Now

During a mental observation hearing Jan. 24, a defense attorney claimed that the prosecution was not following through on a court order that a DC Superior Court judge issued.

Alisa Randall, 31, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 59-year-old Ronald Jones in an apartment on the 1300 block of Euclid Street, NW on July 15, 2019. Apparently, Randall said Jones attacked her. She also said Jones sexually assaulted her daughter.

The defense attorney for Randall, John Fowler, said Judge Craig Iscoe mandated a court order for the prosecution to turn over unredacted body camera footage of potential witnesses commenting on Randall’s mental state. Judge Iscoe previously presided over the case.

Fowler also requested that DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz ask the prosecutor how much progress she made in regards to speaking with detectives who might have discussed or received information about Randall’s mental state. Fowler said he wanted this information in order to build a not guilty by reason of insanity defense. 

According to Fowler, the court order stated that the prosecution would look through all the body camera footage and un-blur the faces, give names, and contact information for anyone that referenced Randall’s mental state, so that Fowler could question the witnesses about their comments.

The prosecutor said she turned in the body camera footage once she received the recording. She also said she gave the defense witness contact information and grand jury testimony.

The prosecutor said she would look into the defense’s requests and disclose all the necessary information about statements made to the detectives and any responding officers to the scene of the murder by mid-March

Randall’s latest mental competency exam came back with a result of her still not being able to stand for trial, according to Judge Kravitz.

Neither party disagreed with the findings of the report, however Fowler said the statutory limit would be reached soon because Randall had served a combination of 11 months at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric institution, and substantial progress did not seem to be obtainable.

Fowler said he wanted a 30-day check in while the prosecutor wanted to meet in 60 days.

Judge Kravitz decided to meet in the middle with a 45 day check in.

A status hearing is scheduled to occur on March 6.

Naysha Carrasquillo