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By
D.C. Witness Staff
- April 18, 2019
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Suspects
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Victims
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During a murder trial April 17, a witness took the stand and said the victim was unarmed, discrediting the defenses’ self-defense claim.
Derryck Decuir is charged with first-degree murder while armed against a minor for his alleged role in the death of 15-year-old Malek Mercer on the 2800 block of 28th Street, SE in 2015. Decuir, 26, has been tried twice before. Both trials resulted in mistrials after the juries could not come to a unanimous decision regarding his murder charge.
“I ain’t got nothing to hide. I wanted to help my friend,” the witness said.
The witness said that on the night of the murder he did not see a gun in Mercer’s duffel bag.
However, the witness later said he lied to detectives and the prosecution in previous meetings, saying he didn’t know whether or not Mercer had a shotgun or had shotgun shells.
Apparently, the witness knew the victim owned a shotgun but didn’t tell police. The witness said he didn’t tell the police about the gun because he “knew the defense would use it as a self-defense argument.”
According to the prosecution’s theory, Mercer was waiting at a bus stop with his friend when they ran into a group of three men, including Decuir. The prosecution said Decuir made a comment about Mercer’s belt, but became enraged when Mercer “snickered” at him in response. Decuir followed Mercer and eventually shot him in the neck.
The defense says Decuir fired in self-defense after he saw Mercer pulling a shotgun out of a duffel bag.
The trial is scheduled to continue on April 18.