Judge Presides Over Show Cause Hearings

By D.C. Witness Staff - September 25, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Probation | Suspects | Victims |

On Sept. 25, a DC Superior Court judge presided over seven pretrial and probation show cause hearings. 

Edward Cowser appeared before Judge Julie Becker for a pretrial show cause hearing on charges of simple assault, second-degree theft, attempted possession of a prohibited weapon, attempted threats to do bodily harm and shoplifting.  

Cowser, 43, allegedly sprayed lotion into the face of a Special Police Officer (SPO) and spat on another when they tried to escort him out of United Medical Center on April 19.

The defendant has been noncompliant with the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) and two more re-arrests happen while Cowser was out on pretrial release. 

On April 22, the defendant allegedly attempted to steal alcohol from a store on the 1700 block of Good Hope Road, NE and brandished a box cutter at the victim, who tried to stop him.

Six days later, Cowser allegedly stole items from a store on the 3700 block of Minnesota Ave, NW and threatened to stab the shopkeeper with a steak knife when he also tried to stop him. 

Judge Becker ruled that Cowser will have one last chance to comply with the PSA or he will be held in DC Jail until his trial date. 

“You have to prove that you deserve to be out on the street instead of inside DC Jail,” said Judge Becker. 

Aloysius Carter, 61, is charged with attempted threats after he allegedly threatened to kill an 11-year-old boy and his siblings outside a corner store on the 3400 block of Dix Street, NE on June 23. Carter was re-arrested on Sept. 1 for allegedly violating the stay away order he was given in the case.

At the Sept. 25 show cause hearing, the prosecution requested that Carter’s pretrial release be revoked due to his noncompliance. 

Carter called into the hearing and consistently ignored Judge Becker when she asked him to remain silent so that his lawyer could best represent him. 

“If I were you, I would think about my actions very carefully,” said Judge Becker.

Judge Becker denied the prosecution’s request and warned Carter that his compliance must be perfect going forward. His next hearing is set for Oct. 5 to re-evaluate his conditions of release. 

Paris Simmons, 20, did not show up to his probation show cause hearing.

Defense attorney Sean Murphy reported that his client has been sick with COVID-19 like symptoms for the past three weeks and that he told his client not to come to court. 

“Not to make light of COVID-19,” said the prosecution, “but Simmons has tried to dodge his way around probation.”

Judge Becker denied the prosecution’s request for a bench warrant and ruled to continue the show cause hearing when the defendant can be present. 

Andre Ruddock is charged with simple assault in DC, but he has pending cases in California, Oregon, Florida, Massachusetts, and Virginia as well. 

Ruddock, 40, did not show up for his hearing and his attorney, Joseph Fay, was around 15 minutes late. Fay had not shown up for the previous hearing on Sept. 21 and Judge Becker warned Fay to never let it happen again. 

Judge Becker issued a bench warrant for Ruddock, making it the second warrant out for the defendant’s arrest. The other warrant was issued in Virginia for assault charges. 

Dominique Buckman is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after she attacked a woman with a knife on the D6 Metro Bus after the victim asked Buckman to use headphones while listening to music. The defendant was also not present for her hearing. 

The PSA reported that she has been a loss of contact for the entire seven months since her arrest,  so Judge Becker issued a bench warrant. 

Delonte Morris, 29, is awaiting sentencing on two counts of second-degree burglary. 

Judge Becker granted the prosecution’s request to move the defendant to the High-Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) after he failed to charge his GPS device and acknowledged that the prosecution will ask for more time to be sentenced at the next hearing. 

Trayvin Wilson, 21, is charged with assault with the intent to commit robbery while armed. 

The PSA said that they had issues with tracking the defendant’s GPS and Wilson did not come in to get a replacement when the battery died. 

Defense attorney Peter Cooper reported that his client does not reside in DC and that Wilson had come to DC last week to resolve the GPS matter with PSA. 

Judge Becker discharged Wilson’s pretrial show cause hearing, which completed the morning docket.