DC Superior District Court Judge Judith Pipe declined to release an armed carjacking defendant from jail on Oct. 15.
D’Eric Brown, 24, is charged with armed robbery, armed carjacking, and two counts of firearm possession. The charges are in connection to his alleged involvement in an altercation that occurred at Brown’s apartment of residence, the 100 block of Q Street, NE, on Sept. 5.
Brown’s defense attorney, Sara Kopecki, requested that the court release him, arguing that Brown was only acting in self-defense after being assaulted by five construction workers outside his apartment building.
“He [was] held down, kicked, and brutalized,” Kopecki described.
In the assault, Brown’s keys were stolen by the perpetrators, which Brown’s attorney claimed was why he returned to the scene and allegedly held someone at gunpoint and stole their car keys.
“I’ll give you back your car keys if you give me mine back,” Kopecki said, describing Brown’s rationale.
In response, a prosecutor described the incident and also played a video of an individual, later identified as Brown, holding what appeared to be a machete.
After viewing the video and hearing Kopecki’s argument for release, Judge Pipe denied the motion.
In her decision, Judge Pipe acknowledged that Brown had previously been assaulted, however “that doesn’t allow someone to retaliate,” she described.
“And he had a machete; it’s excessive,” she continued.
Parties are set to reconvene on Nov. 6.
