Alleged Murderer Rejects Plea Deal

By D.C. Witness Staff - June 29, 2018
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

During a preliminary hearing, a defendant, who is accused of first-degree murder while armed, rejected a plea offer that would have downgraded his charge.

Police say Kavonte Richardson allegedly stabbed Matthew Scott Rooker on the 600 block of 7th Street, NW on May 23. Apparently, surveillance footage from the crime scene shows Richardson, 24, assaulting and robbing Rooker, 26.

In a prior hearing, the prosecution asked the court to find “substantial probability” that Richardson committed the stabbing based on the video footage and testimony from a detective assigned to the case.

According to court documents, a witness from the scene was able to identify Richardson as the man who committed the robbery.

Defense counsel Mani Golzari tried to shift the blame to Matthew McCullough, another suspect who was in the area at the time of the murder. According to court documents, McCullough was not questioned by police because a witness at the crime scene said McCullough was too slim to match the description of the robber.

Golzari also argued that, per the surveillance footage, Richardson’s clothes didn’t have blood on them and that he was not carrying a knife during his initial search.

On June 28, the prosecution offered Richardson a deal in which he would plead guilty to second-degree murder while armed. In accordance to the plea, Richardson could receive a sentence of 18 to 22 years in prison.

Richardson rejected the plea offer. Golzari then motioned for his client to be released from jail and placed in a halfway house or on house arrest.

DC Superior Court Judge Ronna L. Beck denied Richardson’s release because she said he had multiple bench warrants for failure to appear to previous hearings.

“Because of this aggravated burglary, you are a danger to the community,” Judge Beck said.

A felony status conference is scheduled for Sept. 5, where the prosecution said they would offer another plea deal.