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By
Ivanna Ceballos [former]
- December 9, 2024
Uncategorized
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A murder defendant pleaded not guilty during a Dec. 9 arraignment, and the court granted a request to modify release conditions as well as scheduling a trial date for March 2026.
Christian Wilkerson, 21, appeared before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan, to hear the charges against him including second-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of Rashawn Phifer, 20, on Nov. 11, 2022 on the 500 block of Riggs Road, NE.
Wilkerson entered a plea of not guilty.
Surveillance footage allegedly shows Wilkerson chasing Phifer before pinning him to a fence. Though the stabbing itself was not captured on video, eyewitness testimony and additional evidence, including social media activity and cell phone records, were cited by prosecutors in earlier hearings.
During the Dec. 9 hearing, Wilkerson’s defense team sought a modification of his release conditions. Currently on home confinement with GPS monitoring, Wilkerson has had no compliance violations to date.
His attorney, Joseph Caleb, argued that a job offer received in September demonstrated his readiness to reenter the workforce and requested permission for Wilkerson to seek and maintain employment. The court granted the request under supervision.
Judge Raffinan scheduled the trial for March 30, 2026, with a status hearing set for March 12, 2025.