D.C. Witness

In Sentencing Judge Calls Victim’s Death ‘Senseless’

Details During a Sept. 28 hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun sentenced a homicide defendant to a total of 10 years in prison. Wayneice Ellis, 31, was charged with second-degree... Read More

Prosecutors Move to Upgrade Charges in Juvenile Murder Case

Details On Sept. 27, prosecutors filed a motion to upgrade the charges for an adolescent girl accused in the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old. The defendant, a 16-year-old female, is charged... Read More

Document: Second Person Arrested in Homicide of Missing Person

Details On Sept. 22, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested and charged 35-year-old Nichelle Thomas with first-degree murder while armed – felony murder, accessory after the fact – second-degree murder while... Read More

Homicide Defendant’s Motion to Remove GPS Tracker Denied

Details On Sept. 21, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan denied a homicide defendant’s request to remove his GPS tracker. Julian Ruffin, 31, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for... Read More

Document: Man Arrested in Homicide of Missing Person

Details On Sept. 19, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested and charged 27-year-old Lewis Jones with first-degree murder while armed – felony murder and second-degree murder while armed for his alleged... Read More

Defendant ‘Accepts the Consequences’ of His ActionS During Sentencing

Details On Sept. 15, DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo sentenced Collin Potter to 16 years in prison with five years of supervised release. Potter, 31, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder... Read More

Judge Releases Homicide Defendant For Drug Treatment

Details On Sept. 18, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt granted a homicide defendant’s request for release into an in-patient drug treatment program. Joseph Ballard, 59, is charged with second-degree murder... Read More

Judge Denies Motion to Drop Charges in Non-Fatal Shooting

Details On Sept. 13, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan denied a motion filed on behalf of the defendant, Dominic Copeland, to drop the case against him. Copeland, 33, is charged... Read More

Defendant Accepts Plea Deal for 2021 Stabbing

Details On Sep 13, a defendant accepted a plea offer in connection to a 2021 killing. Christian Monge, 27, was originally charged with second-degree murder while armed, and carrying a dangerous... Read More

One Mass Shooting, Two Stabbings Among Homicides in DC in August

Details D.C. Witness recorded a total of 45 non-fatal shootings and homicides for the month of August. Of those, 30 were homicides. Twenty-eight homicides stemmed from shootings, and two were stabbings. ... Read More

Second-Degree Murder Defendant Accepts Plea Offer

Details During a status hearing on Sept. 8, defendant Cynthia Battle, 54, accepted a prosecution plea offer. Battle is charged with second-degree murder while armed for her alleged involvement in the... Read More

Judge Orders New Competency Hearing for ‘Uncooperative’ Shooting Defendant

Details DC Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz ordered a shooting suspect to cooperate with those administering a repeat mental exam during a Sept. 6 hearing. Andrew Parsons, 28, is charged with... Read More