Judge Keeps Murder Defendant in Jail

By D.C. Witness Staff - June 3, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

After hearing a murder defendant’s arguments for why his release should be reconsidered,  a DC Superior Court judge agreed with an initial ruling to keep the defendant at DC Jail.  

Ravel Mills, a 26-year-old resident of Temple Hills, Md., has been charged with first-degree murder while armed in the shooting death of Toussaunt Strong, a 28-year-old resident of Clinton, Md. The incident occurred on April 18 on the 3400 block of 24th Street, SE, which is located in the Shipley neighborhood of Southeast DC. 

Judge Anita Josey-Herring upheld another judge’s decision to hold Mills because there is a simple assault misdemeanor pending for the defendant as well. There is also video evidence of a person, who is believed to be Mills, chasing the victim. 

Mills’ defense attorney, Madalyn Harvey, disputed the initial hold because the assault charge was not papered at the time of Mills’ first hearing for the homicide charge in March. The simple assault incident occurred in 2019. 

She also questioned Judge Heide L. Herrmann’s time table of the offenses, saying that a significant amount of time had passed between the assault case and the homicide case. 

Harvey requested that Mills be placed on home confinement at his mother’s house in Maryland under the high intensity supervision program (HISP), citing his lack of prior convictions.

During the June 3 proceeding, Harvey also requested that Mills receive a preliminary hearing. However, there is a backlog in cases at the DC Superior Court and Mills will have to request a preliminary hearing at his next hearing on July 7.