Co-Defendants ‘Left a Trail of Evidence’ Behind, Prosecution Says

By Sofia Feigelson [former] , Adrianna Bhan [former] - June 25, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Juveniles | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On June 24, during the first day of trial for a mass shooting that occurred almost six years ago, parties in a three co-defendant case gave opening statements in front of DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun and jurors, claiming different narratives about “beef” between street gangs. 

Mark Price, 29, and Antonio Murchison, 31, are charged with first-degree murder while armed, five counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, seven counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy, and seven counts of criminal gang affiliation. The charges stem from their alleged involvement in a mass shooting on July 16, 2018, on the 5300 block of 53rd Street, NE in the Clay Terrace neighborhood. The incident left 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson dead and four other individuals with gunshot wounds. 

Additionally, Price is charged with first-degree murder while armed, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, threat to injure or kidnap a person, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict and first-degree burglary while armed. These separate charges come from his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 47-year-old Andre Hakim Young on July 30, 2018, on the 1500 block of 19th Street, NE. 

The third co-defendant, Quanisha Ramsuer, 31, is charged with obstruction of justice in connection to the homicide.

The prosecution began their opening statement by saying the residents of Clay Terrace were “enjoying a calm summer night” before Price acted as the driver and getaway for Murchison and three other shooters who fired over 50 shots, causing the death of a young girl and wounding four other victims.

“That calmness of that summer evening went away,” said the prosecutor, referring to the shooting as a 20-second period of erupted chaos, leaving the Clay Terrace community forever changed.

Despite taking every precaution – wearing hoodies and latex gloves – the prosecutor stated that the perpetrators “left a trail of evidence” behind, highlighting a Black Infiniti car, which was reported to be the vehicle where the shooters came and left from, was sold to the Wellington Park crew the day before the shooting.

According to the prosecutor, the car, which was seen in the Wellington Park parking lot on multiple occasions, was recovered on July 18, 2018. Price’s DNA was found on a pair of latex gloves found in the car, as well as the car’s steering wheel. In addition, a bullet consistent with the firearm used to kill Wilson was recovered.

The prosecutor stated that Wilson died from a single gunshot wound to her chest, adding that the bullet eviscerated her right atrium. She also stated that another victim, who was shot in the face, miraculously survived. The victim’s injuries resulted in the scattering of his teeth, reconstruction of his face, and necessity of relearning how to talk.

Moreover, the prosecutor explained to jurors that the root of the shooting originated from “beef” between criminal street gangs, otherwise known as crews, which lead to Price and Murchison’s stockpiling of weapons and agreement to shoot and kill people they had beef with. 

According to the prosecution, the “beef” began between DC rappers Shy Glizzy and Ant Glizzy, who “split up to do their own thing.” The split between the two created the Wellington Park Crew, which both Price and Murchinson are alleged to be a part of. 

She told jurors that Price and Murchison conspired against the Clay Terrace community because it was an enemy.

The prosecutor also explained that Lil Dude, a rapper associated with Clay Terrace, was a reason for the continued “beef” between the neighborhoods. She stated that the Wellington Park crew commented on one of the rapper’s music videos on YouTube, showing that they deemed Clay Terrace as an enemy.

The prosecution also showed a screenshot of Wilson pictured in one of Lil Dude’s music videos, stating the little girl was a huge fan of his.

The “victims were random, intent was not,” read one of the slides in the prosecution’s presentation.

In the aftermath of the shooting, while the Clay Terrace community was “in the worst moments of their life,” the prosecution stated that the Wellington Park crew members were celebrating in a parking lot. Price and Murchison were identified in video footage that showed members singing and dancing.

The prosecutor concluded her opening by stating the crew “did not care who they hit” as long as they were targeting their enemy, Clay Terrace residents, and sending a message to them through their “heinous act.”

She asked the jurors to find the defendants guilty, stating that all of the evidence “will lead right back” to them.

In response to the prosecution’s opening, defense attorney Steven Ogilvie, representing Murchison, asserted his client “is on trial for who he knows and who he hangs out with.” 

“We don’t think a lot of evidence has anything to do with Mr. Murchison,” said Ogilvie, adding that there is no forensic evidence that connects Murchison to the shooting.

He said the prosecution would show a lot of evidence from social media, primarily Instagram posts showing Murchison surrounded by guns. 

“Social media is not real,” said Ogilvie, adding that the image of his client portrayed on social media is not a “complete image” of who he is.

He stated Murchison was “imitating” rap personas and elements of hip hop culture.

Furthering his statements on social media, Ogilvie made an analogy to Drake, a popular entertainer and rapper, and mentioned that he talks about “opps” and guns, yet that does not define who he is as a person.

Ogilvie rebutted the prosecution’s statements alleging his client’s involvement in a gang. “Wellington Park is not a street gang. It’s a place where people live. It’s a community,” said Ogilvie.

In his final statements, he asked jurors to give Murchison the benefit of the doubt and to ground themselves in the totality of the evidence.

Price’s defense attorney, Gemma Stevens, began her opening by standing behind her client and stating he is “cloaked in innocence.” She stated that Price did not go to the Clay Terrace neighborhood on the day of the incident.

“What the [prosecution] has told you is a story,” said Stevens. She referred to the case being presented by the prosecution as a puzzle, stating that “there are many holes” which do not make “a complete picture.”

Stevens cited the prosecution’s lack of competent and credible evidence, advising jurors to analyze the prosecution’s witnesses and ask themselves, “Who benefits from this testimony?”

She also emphasized that jurors must lay the emotional evidence aside, but acknowledged the feelings they might have are “all normal.”

Following opening statements, the prosecution called Wilson’s mother to the stand. She shared that she used to help up-and-coming DC artists and ran her own hairstyling business.

The mother testified that on the evening of the shooting, she was inside her home doing a client’s hair while her oldest daughter and Makiyah were outside their home’s front door. 

After the mother’s testimony, the prosecution then called a Forensic Services Manager from SoundThinking, formerly ShotSpotter, who said that based on the data collected, approximately 45 shots were fired. 

The defense did not cross examine the expert. 

The prosecuting attorneys then called Makiyah’s sister, who described the courtyard in front of her house as being “a general hang-out spot.”

When asked about her relationship to Lil Dude, she shared that she was not a fan of his, but knew of him. The witness testified that the rapper was often in Clay Terrace, and mentioned that she was not present the day his music video ‘Traffic’ was filmed, which is the video her sister was pictured in.

Furthermore, when recounting the day of the shooting, the sister stated there was “nothing unusual about Clay Terrace that day.”

She stated that she was eating a snack with Makiyah when she “saw the black car and immediately grabbed [her] sister to try and get in,” going on to say there were “so many different hands” on their door trying to get into safety. 

By the time they made it in, the witness noticed her sister had “blood on her shirt and she was stumbling.” She said the “police came and took her,” and that she could not remember whether or not they had performed CPR on Makiyah.

The witness also testified that she did not realize she had been shot in the arm until the police pointed it out. 

Judge Okun dismissed the parties and jurors early for the day.

Parties are set to resume trial on June 25.