Carjacking Defendant Motions to Overturn Conviction, Claiming Ineffective Representation

By Bridget Smith - July 3, 2024
Carjacking | Daily Stories | Suspects |

A carjacking defendant, who filed a motion to vacate or overturn his conviction, alleges his lawyer is related to the victim and failed to represent him effectively. The argument came during a July 3 hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz. 

Marquise Lucas, 26, was convicted of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, unarmed carjacking, and three counts of armed robbery with an imitation pistol, for his involvement in an incident that occurred on the 900 block of Florida Avenue, NW on Feb. 12, 2015. He appeared in a remote hook-up from a federal Bureau of Prisons facility.

According to court documents, Lucas was allegedly engaged in a robbery and carjacking of a BMW while at a gas station. The stolen vehicle was then pursued by officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) before it collided with another vehicle and those involved were detained. 

Willie Smith was also arrested in connection to the case and charged with armed robbery, unarmed carjacking, and conspiracy to commit a crime of violence. Another co-defendant Donna Timmons was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, theft second degree and receiving stolen property – misdemeanor.

Lucas was sentenced to 14 years of incarceration in December 2015. 

Lucas filed a motion to vacate his conviction on Dec. 3, 2023. He alleges that his Public Defense Service (PDS) trial counsel, Michael Carter, is related to one of the victims in the 2015 carjacking, and was ineffective in representing him. 

According to Lucas, Carter failed to file a motion to sever his case from his co-defendants, despite indicating to Lucas that he had done so. No motion to sever was ever filed, according to the motion. 

Furthermore, Lucas alleges Carter did not adequately explain the elements of the armed robbery count.

Through the motion, Lucas requested to void his conviction, or have a new trial, claiming Carter “adversely affected his representation.” 

Judge Kravitz argued Lucas should be in person at future proceedings, and ordered a writ be implemented by the Bureau of Prisons for him to be held at DC Jail to guarantee his presence. 

Parties are slated to reconvene Nov. 1.