Co-Defendants Arraigned in Homicide Case

Thank you for reading D.C. Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

On Oct. 19, two homicide defendants were arraigned before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan.

Rafael Stevens, 38, and Jermall Johnson, 40, are charged with premeditated first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, five counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, attempted robbery, and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, for their alleged involvement in the shooting death of 50-year-old Aniekobo Umoh on Dec. 29, 2022, on the 2700 block of 7th Street, NE.

Stevens and Johnson pleaded not guilty to all charges and asserted their constitutional rights, including the right to a speedy trial.

Attorney Stephen Logerfo is representing Johnson with attorney Jason Tulley representing Rafael Stevens. The defense announced their intent to file a motion for severance, which would allow the defendants to hold separate trials.

The defense also motioned to modify a protective order to allow witness videos to be shown to the defendants, however, the motion was denied.

Parties will reconvene on Dec. 13.

The trial is set to begin Nov. 4, 2024.

Notifications are not yet available for this specific case. Please check back later for updates. Thank you.