Attorney Files Notice For Insanity Defense in A Homicide

By Jenna Lee , Marissa Stambaugh - August 30, 2024
Court | Homicides | stabbing | Victims |

A homicide defendant’s attorney alerted the court of her intent to file notice for an insanity defense before DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo on Aug. 30.  Generally, the plea focuses on a defendant’s inability to understand the criminal nature of his actions or conform his behavior to the law.

David Howard, 38, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed and arson for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of Ali Zarrincalaki, 45, on March 2, 2023, inside of the Petworth Library on the 4200 block of Kansas Avenue, NW. 

According to court documents, Zarrincalaki was in the library’s computer room when Howard walked in and stabbed him multiple times. During an interview with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Howard allegedly told a detective that Zarrincalaki was responsible for his friend’s fatal overdose.  

The judge questioned attorney Madalyn Harvey whether the defense intends to follow through in filing an Insanity defense. Harvey informed the judge her client intends to file for an insanity defense by Sept. 13.

At the hearing, Harvey also said the defense will exercise its right to independently test DNA evidence and raised concerns that sufficient sanitary measures were not followed when the evidence was viewed by the prosecution and evidence bags were left unsealed and handled without gloves. 

“I’ve never encountered this before,” Harvey said regarding the prosecution’s apparent disregard for sanitary procedures.

Judge Demeo advised the prosecution to abide by protocol because any mishandling of evidence could be brought up by the defense at trial. She said such a failure seems like a “recipe for disaster for the prosecution.” 

Parties will reconvene on Nov. 15.