Did A Murder Defendant Violate His Plea Agreement?

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 19, 2018
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

A man who pled guilty to murder may have violated his plea agreement by possibly lying while under oath during another murder trial.

Paul Swann is currently on trial for second-degree murder while armed for the death of Adam Barker on the 2700 block of Langston Place, SE in 2016. According to court documents, Barker, 21, was approached by Swann, 24; Traveous Brown; and one other person after a brief verbal altercation. Swann and Brown then allegedly shot at Barker.

Brown, 28, pled guilty to second-degree murder while armed on June 14 for his involvement with Barker’s death. His sentence for the murder would run concurrent to the 27 years Brown received for an unrelated robbery conviction in Virginia.

Even though Brown pled guilty, he still implicated Swann in the murder. “Swann pulled out a gun and decided to shoot Barker,” Brown told the jury. Brown said he pulled out his gun as well and shot twice at Barker’s friend, a man called “Juice.”

During cross-examination, Brown denied killing Barker. He said Swann was the one who killed him. Under his plea agreement, Brown could receive a lighter sentence for testifying.

During trial on July 19, while the jury was out, the prosecution played three phone calls from March 30, 2016, after Swann was arrested. During these calls, Swann told his grandmother about his concerns over Brown.

“They’re lying on me… I did not do this,” Swann told his grandmother. Swann was first arrested on a robbery charge in Virginia on March 8, 2016. Swann said he was “aware of the damage [Brown] can do.”

DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck told counsel that it’s unclear whether the cooperation Swann discussed in the calls referred to the robbery charges or Barker’s murder.  Judge Beck said she has not made a decision about whether the calls would be admitted as relevant evidence.

Swann’s trial is scheduled to proceed to closing arguments on July 23.