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By
D.C. Witness Staff
- October 17, 2019
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After finding probable cause that a murder defendant was involved in a 2009 homicide, a DC Superior Court judge denied an attorney’s request to place his client on a cash bond.
Saeve Evans is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Kareem Ware on the 3800 block of Halley Terrace in 2009. Evans, 33, was also acquitted of the murder of 16-year-old Breyona McMillian in February. McMillian was killed in 2016.
DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson said that given the nature of Evans’ current charge and his criminal history, she was not confident that setting a bond would be a “good idea.”
Evans is being held for a firearm’s conviction he received in relation to McMillian’s murder. He is appealing the 8.5-year sentence, according to his defense attorney, James King.
King said he requested that Judge Dayson set a cash bond for Evans because he was already serving time for a prior charge. King said there would be no reason why Evans would not show up to his court date since he was already being incarcerated.
But, Judge Dayson said that even though it was unlikely for Evans to successfully appeal and be released on the firearm’s charge, she did not want to take a chance.
Cash bonds are no longer required to ensure pretrial release. Instead, release is decided by a judge, according to DC law. A judge can grant pretrial release if the defendant does not pose a danger to any person or the community. When deciding whether a defendant should be released, a judge also has to consider the likelihood of whether that defendant would return for future court proceedings. Even though the bonds are not required, a judge can set one to make sure that a defendant returns to court.
Evans is scheduled for a status hearing on Nov. 26.
A jury trial is slated to begin on June 15, 2020.