Judge Hold 7 Defendants During Initial Hearings

By D.C. Witness Staff - November 7, 2020
Featured | Homicides | Suspects |

On Nov. 6, DC Superior Court Judge Heide Herrmann held seven defendants and released 13 during initial hearings. 

Mekhi Truesdale, is charged with armed robbery and armed kidnapping. The offense took place on the 800 block of Longfellow Street, NW. According to court documents, the victim was looking down at their phone when they were allegedly approached by Truesdale in a vehicle.

Truesdale, 18, allegedly brandished a gun and ordered the victim to get into the car. The victim complied fearing for his safety. 

After entering the vehicle, Truesdale demanded the victim’s property before allowing them to escape. Truesdale was ordered detained by Judge Herrmann given the seriousness of the allegations, and his next hearing is set on Nov. 25. 

Judge Herrmann also held Ronald Fisher who is charged with robbery. 

The offense occurred on Nov 6. on the 2600 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE. According to court documents, Fisher, 41 allegedly approached the victim, grabbed them by the neck and pushed them up against a wall. 

Fisher allegedly demanded that the victim hand over everything that they had. 

“Given the nature and circumstances of his offense, I will hold him and issue a stay away order” Judge Herrmann said. Fisher’s next hearing is set for Nov. 24. Fisher was also brought before the court in a misdemeanor case for second-degree theft, but Judge Herrmann released him on that case.

Aaron Talley is charged with assaulting a police officer and possession of a controlled substance. Talley, 26, allegedly assaulted a police officer during First Amendment demonstrations on June 24. 

On Nov. 5, Talley was arrested for allegedly possessing a quantity of fentanyl, a controlled substance. Due to a prior conviction in which Talley assaulted another police officer, Judge Herrmann decided to hold him. Talley’s next hearing will take place on Nov. 24.

Sharon Simpson was brought in on a bench warrant for failing to appear at her hearing in DC. Simpson is charged with being a fugitive from justice, where she is wanted in Virginia for probation violation. Given her failure to turn herself in to Virginia and her failure to appear in court in DC, Judge Herrmann held her at the DC Jail. 

Two fugitives from justice are both juveniles and are wanted for homicide in the state of Maryland. Given the serious allegations, Judge Herrmann said she was not inclined to release them.

They waived their right to an extradition hearing and will be held under the supervision of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS)for three days while they wait for the demanding jurisdiction to pick them up and transfer them to Maryland.  

One final defendant, Troy Richardson, was brought before the court for failing to charge his GPS monitoring device. Richardson, 50, was released on his new case but held in jail to deal with a parole warrant.

Among those released was a 34-year-old male charged with first-degree child sexual abuse. The prosecution requested that he be placed into the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP). Judge Herrmann granted the request and set the defendant’s next hearing for April 9. 

Judge Herrmann released four defendants on misdemeanor charges under various conditions including contacting the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA), stay-away orders. One of the defendants is also charged with fugitivity and was ordered to turn himself in to Virginia authorities immediately. The defendants were ordered to appear back in court on April 9. 

Two defendants brought in on bench warrants for failing to appear at their hearings were released on the condition that they return to court. New hearing dates were set for both defendants on April 9 of next year. 

Five defendants with domestic violence-related charges were released. All five of the defendants were issued stay away orders from the victims and ordered to report to  PSA. One of the defendants was also ordered to wear a GPS monitoring device. 

One defendant charged with being a fugitive from Virginia was released. He was ordered to turn himself in to the demanding jurisdiction as soon as possible.

Two final defendants, one charged with fugitivity and one charged with simple assault, were both still in the hospital, so their hearings were moved to Nov. 7.

Emily Pengelly wrote this article.