Judge Finds Probable Cause in Armed Assault

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A DC Superior Court judge determined that an armed assault case has enough evidence to go to trial, but allowed the defendant to be released from DC Jail.

Demetrius Golden is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.

On March 26, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to a shooting on the 1300 block of 5^th Street, NW. The officers found the victim with a gunshot wound in his leg, which was treated at a local hospital. The victim was also found with a person who had witnessed the scene.

The officers used the suspect’s vehicle information, recorded via a surveillance camera, to find the suspect believed to be Stephen Golden.

During the Nov. 9 hearing, an MPD detective testified that Golden and the victim got into a verbal altercation before Golden walked away. Golden soon returned from a nearby apartment building with a young boy believed to be his son and shot the complainant.

Golden’s defense attorney, Sharon Weathers, argued that there was not probable cause because the witness did not remember certain details regarding the crime or conversations had with the defendant and witnesses of the crime.

The defense also argued that the lack of clarity in the surveillance video makes the the events unclear.

The defense argued that if Golden did shoot the complainant, it was out of self-defense because the victim first pointed the gun at Golden. Neither the victim nor Golden have admitted owning the gun, although Golden admitted after the incident that he had destroyed it.

The prosecution argued that the witness was credible and lacked certain details due to the length of time that has passed since the incident. The prosecution also argued that the video showed with enough certainty that Golden shot the complainant.

Judge Rainey Brandt determined there was probable cause by noting that the defendant did not go to the police after the incident and admitted to destroying the gun. Judge Brandt also found the witness’s testimony to be credible.

The defense said Golden should be released until his next court date. She pointed out that her client has no recent offenses. She also argued that he is unlikely to be a flight risk and that remaining in jail would be a burden on his family.

The prosecution argued that Golden should be held due to a prior conviction on a similar charge. The prosecution also said Golden should be held because calls from jail showed that he could potentially obstruct justice if released. The prosecution played the calls and argued that Golden had spoken to his mother and brother about paying the victim to change his testimony.

Judge Brandt said she did not believe the calls from jail definitively showed obstruction of justice would take place if Golden was released, but did warn Golden of the legal consequences for engaging in obstruction of justice.

Judge Brandt also agreed with the defense that all previous offenses are very dated and do not mean the defendant would be a danger to the community.

Golden will be released with a no contact and stay away order from both the complainant and the female witness]. Golden will also be required to be monitored by GPS.

His next court date is scheduled for April 12.

Abigail Grifno wrote this article.