Closing Arguments in Carjacking, Assault of Transgender Woman

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Parties delivered closing arguments in a carjacking and kidnapping case linked to a assault of a transgender woman. The proceeding is being heard before DC Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean on March 3.  

Nicolas Delgado, 31, is charged with unarmed carjacking, kidnapping, two counts of first-degree theft, two counts of robbery, second-degree theft, attempted credit card fraud, threat to kidnap or injure a person, and two counts of simple assault for his alleged involvement in an incident that occurred on July 8, 2020, at the 5400 block of Connecticut Avenue, NW.

Earlier the victim, who identified herself as the ex-girlfriend of Delgado testified he punched her multiple times in the face after accusing her of cheating.  The victim said she’d seen Delgado “furious” before, but “his eyes looked different.”

She testified he then dragged her into the bathroom and cut off her hair with scissors and a razor.

While doing so, she stated he repeatedly called her the F-slur, an attack at the transgender victim. She claimed Delgado knew the significance of her hair, stating “It’s everything to me. It’s what makes me feel pretty.”

Prosecutors called a former officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who interviewed the victim and said she had significant swelling on her face from a physical altercation.

During cross-examination, Delgado’s defense attorney, Bryan Brookhard, confirmed with the witness that no marks, cuts, or bruises were visible on the victim’s face, despite the swelling. 

Another MPD officer confirmed helped retrieve the victim’s allegedly stolen vehicle from Delgado, stating that he was cooperative during the encounter.

Ultimately, Brookhard motioned for a judgment of acquittal for Delgados’s charges but Judge McLean denied the request.

Prosecutors emphasized to the jury that Delgado “wanted to humiliate, berate, and degrade the victim.” They painted Delgado as an abuser who attempted to dehumanize the victim. 

Once prosecutors rested, Brookhard focused his closing statement on inconsistencies in the victim’s testimony and that she didn’t ask for help on earlier occasions.

Parties will reconvene when the jury reaches a verdict.