Judge Releases Domestic Violence Defendants During Initial Hearings

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On Jan. 7, DC Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna heard 50 new cases, releasing all but four during initial hearings.

Of all 50 cases presented before the judge, only two defendants were charged in domestic violence cases.

The first domestic violence defendant is charged with simple assault and destruction of property.

The defendant, an adult male, was released by Judge McKenna with an order to stay-away from the alleged victim. He was also served with a Civil Protection Order (CPO) that also requires him to stay away from the same person involved in his new case.

The second defendant is also charged with simple assault and destruction of property. The defendant, also an adult male, was released with a stay-away order from the alleged victim.

Thirty of the 50 defendants are charged with misdemeanors in reference to the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

The majority of the defendants, 25, are charged with unlawful entry of public property for being within the Capitol grounds illegally as well as for disobeying Mayor Muriel Bowser’s curfew, which went into effect at 6 p.m. that evening. 

The other five defendants are charged with carrying  a pistol without a license, violation of an emergency order curfew, possession of a prohibited weapon and assault on a police officer. Almost all of the defendants are not DC residents and 27 were ordered to stay out of DC entirely until their cases are resolved.

The final 18 defendants, charged with various misdemeanors and felonies, were all released with various release conditions except for four, who will be held at DC Jail pending their next hearing.