Thank you for reading D.C. Witness.
Help us continue our mission into 2025 by donating to our end of year campaign.
By
D.C. Witness Staff
- March 22, 2016
Court
|
Homicides
|
Suspects
|
A judge denied a request for the third man charged with the alleged murder of Matthew Shlonsky to be released to a halfway house or placed under high intensity supervision.
During Christopher Proctor’s March 15 court appearance, a judge ruled there was enough evidence to hold Proctor without bail and move the case forward.
Proctor is being charged with second-degree murder while armed, along with co-defendants Andre Dudley and Marcus King.
In arguing for his client’s release, Proctor’s attorney, Michael Madden said Proctor has been working at the Verizon Center for a month prior to his arrest and has “strong family ties.” The judge denied the request because of two prior violations the defendant had for “not complying with the court.”
In court, Detective Dathan Brown was called to the stand by the prosecuting attorney, Channing Phillips. Brown answered questions about the investigation and his partner, who is the lead detective in this homicide case.
After Brown stepped down from the stand, Proctor’s attorney said that “self-defense could be used to defeat probable cause.” Madden said that his client may be held liable for holding a gun, but not for second-degree murder.
“Just because he entered the building at the time, doesn’t mean he was the shooter,” Madden said.
The attorney was referring to the surveillance video evidence police used to arrest Proctor, who witnesses identified as “the man in the blue polo shirt.”
Madden requested that the government give the defense the video that they have as evidence against his client. He also asked that the court find no probable cause in this case because of the “hole in information that the government owes the court.”
“The individuals were armed and prepared to battle,” said Judge Morin. The court found probable cause for second-degree murder while armed.
Proctor, Dudley and King are scheduled to appear in court together on May. 20 for a felony status conference.