Counsel delivers closing arguments for Moore’s homicide

By D.C. Witness Staff - March 16, 2018
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

Counsel delivered closing arguments March 15 in the 2015 murder trial of 32-year-old Tyrone Moore.

According to the prosecution, Harold Marshall, 40, made the conscious decision to kill Moore. Moore was in a violent relationship with Marshall’s sister when he allegedly stabbed him on the 1600 block of F Street, NE on March 22, 2015. Marshall was charged with first-degree murder while armed.

Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Santiago said that when Moore got into an argument with his girlfriend on the night of his death. Marshall, who was sleeping on the couch at the time, got involved. Santiago said the altercation between Marshall and Moore became physical.

Marshall’s sister and Moore’s female friend, who was also staying at the apartment, separated the men. However, when Marshall realized he was bleeding, Santiago said, Marshall proceeded to allegedly stab Moore.

The prosecution also cited testimony from Marshall’s son to invalidate Marshall’s claim that he acted in self-defense or to protect his sister. According to the son, his aunt was trying to hold the bedroom door to keep Marshall from entering.

Marshall allegedly fled the crime scene with the knife, changed his shirt and got rid of the murder weapon. He was arrested a few hours later.

The defense told a vastly different story of how the night unfolded. According to Marshall’s attorney, David Knight, Marshall reasonably believed he had no choice but to go through the bedroom door to protect himself and his sister.

Knight said that Marshall’s sister and the female friend’s testimonies could not be believed because their accounts of the altercation changed over time. Knight also said that Marshall’s son was only 14 years old at the time and misconstrued details about the night.

According to Knight, Moore not only threw the first punch, but also initially pulled a knife on Marshall and stabbed him twice.

Knight said that Marshall asked Moore to leave and had reason to believe that his sister was in trouble when she was locked in the bedroom.

According to the defense, Marshall and Moore struggled over the knife before Moore was stabbed. A knife was found in the living room, but it did not have a sufficient amount of DNA that could be tested on it. The defense said Marshall’s blood on the walls of the apartments prove that he was defending himself.

The jury is expected began their deliberations on March 20.