Prosecution Calls its First Witnesses in Day Two of Deadly Apartment Shooting Trial

By Jakob Rios [former] - March 9, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

Chad Hawthorne is on trial for the murder of 35-year-old Antonio Bassett in a Fort Davis Park apartment complex. Four witnesses took the stand during the second day of his trial on March 8.

During the early hours of May 22, 2017, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers found Bassett in a studio apartment on the 3900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest and head.

The leaseholder said he let people stay there, according to court documents. During the trial, a neighbor described the apartment as having an “open-door policy” where anyone could enter and get high. He said he even complained to the apartment complex’s management, as he felt it was cultivating an unsafe environment.

The jury saw pictures of the apartment, which included images of Bassett when he was found there.

The apartment features a bathroom to the immediate left of the entrance and a small area where several men slept. To the left of the back wall was a patio door that led to a grassy parking area. Defense attorney Steven Kiersh noted during his cross-examination of the prosecution’s first witness, a crime scene investigator, that the patio door appeared to have been broken.

Eleven bullet casings were found on a nearby blanket, which the crime scene investigator testified were all from a 9mm gun. They also found bullets embedded into the ground where Bassett was found.

According to court documents, one witness said they saw 41-year-old Hawthorne run out of the apartment through the front hallway door after they were awakened by the sound of gunshots.

The prosecutor went on to call a police officer to the witness stand. This officer had taken a statement from Hawthorne after his vehicle, a red 2015 Chevrolet Cruze, was stolen. During cross-examination, Kiersh questioned the officer on why he had not investigated the robbery as much as he could. The officer explained he was on light duty. Kiersh then asked at what time was the car stolen. The officer said it was stolen between 2:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., but Hawthorne did not make a complaint until 9:00 p.m.

The prosecutor called the first responding police officer to the witness stand and played the Body-Worn Camera footage for the jury.

The footage showed the officer approaching the apartment. Upon arriving, two men told him they saw a man with dreadlocks and a medium build run away. The officer entered the apartment, where another man sat staring at Bassett, who was now dead. The officer then canvassed the apartment and took statements from each witness.

During his cross-examination, Kiersh questioned the officer on what the jury did not hear in the various footage being played. They had to redact some of the audio for privacy reasons. He made a point of mentioning that for a brief second, the jury could hear one of the witnesses say, “I ain’t know nothing.”

The next witness was an investigator with the MPD. His focus was on the gathering of information on electronic-based sources. This means he gathered all of the evidence from cameras in the area, which was explained to the jury. During cross-examination, Kiersh pressed the investigator, who commonly had to look at his notes. Kiersh asked him why he needed to review his report to answer questions. During re-direct, the prosecution asked how many videos he has viewed and collected since this 2017 homicide. The witness responded that he had viewed at least 500 videos.

Kiersh challenged the witness when he used the phrases “best of my recollection” or “believe.” He asked the investigator if there was any way he could be sure of what he was saying, to which the investigator responded, “we could review the video.”

“I am asking the questions,” Kiersh said.

“That was not a question,” the witness responded.

Kiersh focused on one of the camera channels, asking what was wrong with it. The witness took a moment and then said he was not qualified to answer the question and his team did not physically take cameras apart on the spot.

One witness entered the courtroom while one of the police officers was testifying, raising concerns that her testimony could be biased. DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo dismissed the jury for an early lunch and asked this witness if she knew what happened during the testimony, what she could recall and what time she entered. The witness responded that she didn’t pay attention. The defense asked her why she even entered the courtroom. She replied she had nowhere else to go, prompting the prosecution to point out the witness waiting room.

Once the jury was seated after lunch, the neighbor who had complained to the apartment complex’s management took the stand.

This witness explained that he and Bassett were “drug-friends.” He said his drugs of choice were cocaine and heroin, but he is now sober.

The witness went into rumors he heard about Hawthorne and Bassett, prompting an objection from the defense. After hearing arguments, Judge Demeo allowed the testimony but told the jury they could not assume what he was saying to be the truth.

The witness said Bassett had the keys to Hawthorne’s car. Once, he used it so they could get more drugs. Afterward, Bassett allegedly told the witness that Hawthorne did not know he had keys to his car.

According to court documents, a different witness said that on the day before the shooting, Hawthorne was angry because items had apparently been stolen from within his car.

The prosecutor asked the witness if he was high the night of the shooting. When he was called to come into the apartment, he said he “was watching TV, but the TV must’ve been watching me.” He said he felt terrible upon seeing his friend.

The final witness to testify on May 8 was one of the people who would stay in the apartment. This man is currently incarcerated at the Prince George County Jail for a matter that has nothing to do with this case. The prosecutor sought out his perspective of the night.

This witness explained that four men, including Hawthorne and Bassett, would often share the studio apartment. The night of the shooting, he had plugged in his phone on the other side of the apartment and then went to sleep. Hawthorne and one other person were already in the apartment at that point. Later that night, Bassett and another person entered the apartment. The witness woke up and told Bassett where his phone was because Bassett allegedly had a history of stealing, he explained. Bassett allegedly said he would not touch it.

The witness then went back to sleep before waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. While he was in there, he heard several gunshots. He said he felt scared and put his foot on the door to stop the shooter from entering. He waited several minutes and then walked out to the main room.

The witness claims Hawthorne said he was there and said someone tried to rob the apartment, then took his bag and left. The witness, not knowing what to do, went next door to find a neighbor.

The witness confirmed to the prosecutor that the doors were locked.

“Why,” the prosecutor asked.

The witness looked confused, responding, “I don’t know why do you lock your doors?”

The prosecutor changed questions to ask why the detective had not suspected him of committing the murder. The witness explained he offered his hands to be tested for gun residue.

During cross-examination, Kiersh asked why the witness had not called the police. He said that he could not as Bassett was lying on his phone and he did not want to touch his body. Kiersh continued asking if Hawthorne had asked the witness to call the police. The witness said he had asked Hawthorne to call the police, but instead, he left.

The prosecution said they would most likely need another two days of only witness questioning. The defense said they are prepared to start calling their witnesses on March 14.