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By
D.C. Witness Staff
- April 19, 2018
Court
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Homicides
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Suspects
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During closing arguments April 18 counsel rehashed facts presented during a 2015 murder trial to outweigh the other side.
Eric McDuffie is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting 23-year-old Antonio McCallister. McCallister allegedly died in front of his mother on the 2700 block of Langston Place, SE.
The prosecution said McDuffie waited for McCallister to let his guard down and followed him before shooting him in the back of the head.
Additionally, the prosecution cited McCallister’s mother, who said she was outside on a friend’s porch, when she saw her son fall over and McDuffie fleeing the scene.
“This man intended to kill Antonio McCallister,” the prosecution said. “Use your judgment and find him guilty.”
The prosecution replayed camera footage from Metropolitan Police Department officers. The footage shows the mother telling officers, “He came from over there, the white car,” referring to McDuffie.
The defense argued that the police and the prosecution mishandled the case because a motive to suspect McDuffie was never provided.
McDuffie’s attorney, Russell Hairston, said the investigation was not thorough because Officer Latonya Elliott, who works in the school safety division, told investigators that a juvenile told her about a different suspect. A follow-up was not documented.
The defense also noted that McCallister’s mother admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking PCP, a hallucinatory drug, on the night of the shooting. She also waited three days before speaking with police about the incident.
The jury is expected to begin deliberations on April 19.