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By
Carrie McDonald [former]
- July 1, 2022
Daily Stories
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Documents
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Homicides
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A homicide victim’s family disapproved of Judge Maribeth Raffinan decision to allow a homicide defendant to leave house arrest for employment purposes.
Dohn Harmon, 23, is charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection to the fatal drive-by shooting of 18-year-old Kelvin Goggins on July 1, 2021, on the 1800 block of Q Street, NW.
According to court documents, Harmon allegedly drove a stolen Honda Pilot from which the shots were fired at Goggins, who was not the intended target. He said he didn’t know there was a firearm present in the car until he heard the first shot. The other accomplices have yet to be arrested.
Harmon has been released into the high intensity supervision program (HISP) under the conditions of house arrest since Nov. 23, 2020. The defense filed a motion to suspend the conditions of pretrial release on June 5, to which the prosecution filed an opposition.
At the hearing, defense attorney Steven Kiersch said Harmon is set to begin a job at a construction moving company on Monday and reiterated his motion to release Harmon from home confinement.
The prosecution raised concerns that Harmon may endanger the community if released and warned that he may pursue the intended target.
Goggins’ mother addressed the court during the June 30 hearing.
“[Harmon]’s saying he’s been placed under house arrest for one year and eight months,” Goggins’ mother said. “But tomorrow marks two years since him and his friends killed my son.”
“House arrest is like a slap in the face,” Goggins’ mother continued. “They took away my son’s choices… I don’t know his life story but he did wrong and should be in jail.”
DC Superior Court Judge Raffinan first expressed her sympathy for Goggins’ family.
“I absolutely cannot imagine the pain,” Judge Raffinan said. “On a human level, I hear and I understand what you’re saying.”
However, she emphasized that she had to “consider the law and the facts in front of [her]” when deciding to partially grant the defense’s motion to modify pretrial release conditions so that Harmon would be allowed to work.
“I’m not inclined to completely remove him from home confinement,” Judge Raffinan ruled. “He will be permitted to work. That is the only reason he’ll be able to leave the house.”
She referenced Harmon’s compliance with house arrest thus far and his lack of prior criminal history as key factors in her decision.
Harmon is ordered to home confinement for 24 hours, except for purposes of employment. He must also comply with a stay away order from the 1800 block of Q Street, NW.
Judge Raffinan warned Harmon that if found in non-compliance, she could order him to the DC jail.
“He was the driver of the people who killed my grandson,” Goggins’ grandmother yelled. “What justice? He’s a f*cking murderer. No justice!”
Judge Raffinan scheduled a status hearing on Aug. 23 as the case awaits a formal indictment.