Court Update: April 23

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 24, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

On April 23, judges at the DC Superior Courthouse released six inmates, keeping two at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric institution.

Four defendants’ bond review hearings were carried for a ruling at a later date. Two defendants had their hearings delayed, so parties could agree on release conditions.

Four hearings were vacated.

Six defendants did not show up for their hearings. Cash bonds were set for four of those inmates. The other two defendants had bench warrants issued for their arrest.

There were four hearings that were not in relation to emergency releases because of COVID-19. One inmate’s lawyer indicated that his client was no longer asking to be released from St. Elizabeth’s.

There were three halfway remand hearings, five pre-trial show cause hearings and one probation hearing

Judges also denied the release of three inmates.

In total there were 28 defendants that had cases. A majority of the cases were for bond review hearings. You can read about each case on dcwitness.org.

Leonard Smith’s hearing was continued until April 24, so parties could agree on his release conditions.

Smith, 30, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, and carrying a dangerous weapon (knife) for his alleged roll in the stabbing of 26-year-old Leonte Butler on the 4000 block of South Capitol St., SE, in March of 2017. 
 He is scheduled for a status hearing on July 8, after his request for release was denied.