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By
D.C. Witness Staff
- November 20, 2020
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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A DC Superior Court judge continued a murder defendant’s status hearing following complications regarding his mental competency being evaluated.
Matthew Walker, 22, is charged with first-degree murder while armed in the fatal shooting of 32-year-old David Anthony Remen on the 1700 block of Hamlin Street, NE on Feb. 14, 2019. The case is one of eight cases Walker has open. All of them were picked up in 2019.
Walker was charged with murder in October 2019, according to DC Courts. The previous July, a full examination of his competency was ordered in other cases he had open at the time. Then, in January, his murder case was continued so that it could trail his other cases, which were still in the process of evaluating his competency.
The expert who was assigned to evaluate Walker’s competency to stand trial is currently in California and cannot travel to DC because he is at high-risk with regards to coronavirus complications.
Judge Juliet McKenna asked the prosecutor if the evaluation could be completed via web conference.
The prosecutor said there are two evaluations: a general competency evaluation and a neurological examination. While the first evaluation could be completed via web conference, the neurological examination needs to be done in person.
Judge McKenna recommended that the prosecutor find an expert that lives near DC to complete the evaluations.
Since the case can’t move forward without the competency evaluation, Judge McKenna decided to schedule another status conference for April 12, 2021.
Walker is also charged with assault with intent to kill while armed for allegedly stabbing a victim in the neck on the 100 block of Michigan Avenue, NE on April 29, 2019 ,in a separate case. In his other six cases, he is charged with unarmed carjacking, robbery, first-degree theft, unauthorized use of a vehicle, prison breach, escape from an officer, assault on a police officer and simple assault.
Walker is currently being held at the DC Jail.