D.C. Witness

Defendant Pleads Not Guilty in Non-Fatal Shooting

Details Diandre Caesar, 29, was arraigned on gun charges in a May 26 hearing for allegedly assaulting a family member. Caesar entered a not guilty plea for three counts of assault... Read More

Homicide Co-Defendants Request Continuance Pending Grand Jury Outcome

Details In a May 26 hearing, defense attorneys for co-defendants Demonte Gibson and Tre’quan Nelson asked for a 45-day extension pending grand jury indictments. Gibson, 26, and Nelson, 23, are charged... Read More

Defense gets Time to Review DNA Evidence in Non-Fatal Shooting Case

By Jaclyn Sersland , Hunter Krienke - May 27, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Shooting | Suspects |

Details DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park granted the defense until June 23 to file a motion that would potentially limit DNA evidence introduced on May 22. Demonte Gibson, 26, is... Read More

Murder Defendant Found Competent for Sentencing

Details On May 25, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan alerted parties in the case that doctors found Kavell Miller mentally competent for sentencing. Miller, 22, was accused of shooting 33-year-old Lester... Read More

Murder Defendant Pleads Not Guilty Despite Confession

Details On May 26, Lavaughn Barnes, 32, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder while armed despite confessing to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) that he did it. Barnes is charged for... Read More

Defendant Waives Right to Test Evidence

Details On May 26, a defendant in a non-fatal shooting waived his right to independently test DNA evidence. Vincent James, 39, was indicted on one count of assault with a dangerous... Read More

Murder Defendant Shocks Co-Defendants with Rejection of Plea Deal

Details On May 25, 19-year-old Nelfy Hernandez shocked his two co-defendants when he rejected a plea offer from prosecutors at the last second, because attorneys on both sides thought they had... Read More

Judge Imposes Stiff Sentence for Shooter Asking, ‘When Will it Stop? Ever?’

By D.C. Witness Staff - May 26, 2023
Daily Stories | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

Details DC Superior Court Judge Erik Christian went beyond the prosecution’s recommendations in passing sentence on Kelvin Brevard who, according to court documents, opened fire near a busy bus stop. Brevard,... Read More

Questions of Juror Misconduct Continue in Two-Defendant Murder Case

Details On May 25, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan heard testimony from a witness and a juror regarding their personal relationships and ties to two murder defendants. The juror found... Read More

Defense Attorneys for Four of Six Defendants Present Closing Arguments in 10-Year-Old’s Homicide Trial

Details On May 23, defense attorneys for four of six defendants in a homicide and conspiracy trial presented their closing arguments. Gregory Taylor, 27, Quentin Michals, 25, Qujuan Thomas, 24, Darrise... Read More

Victim’s Sister Testifies Against Her Cousin In Lewkus Turner Murder Trial

Details Prosecutors brought the victim’s sister to the witness stand to testify against her cousin, Lewkus Turner, who is charged with killing Vincent Gyamfi in a family dispute. Turner, 29, is... Read More

Judge Denies Murder Suspect’s Release Even Though Defense Says, ‘He’s Changed’

Details Defense lawyer Christen Philips pleaded before DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun in a May 25 hearing that a suspect in a murder caught on surveillance video should be released... Read More