Judge Does Not Release Defendant from St. Elizabeths

Thank you for reading D.C. Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

On Aug. 7, a DC Superior Court judge denied a defendant’s request to be released from St. Elizabeths Hospital, saying he still needs to receive mental health treatment.

Dominique Thurston is charged with second-degree burglary while armed, carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for allegedly breaking into an unoccupied residence on Jan. 22 on the 1200 block of North Capitol Street, NW. Responding Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers also recovered a firearm.

Thurston, 25, was transferred from DC Jail to St. Elizabeths hospital in February. A Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) report found Thurston competent to stand trial in July. However, defense attorney Amy Phillips disagreed and had her own expert evaluate Thurston. The defense expert found Thurston incompetent to stand trial.

Judge Michael Ryan said that the Aug. 7 hearing was meant to be an opportunity to contest Thurston’s competency finding. However, Phillips said she did not know that this was the intention, and was unable to contest the competency report. Therefore, Judge Ryan decided to continue the hearing to Aug. 31.