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By
Elizabeth Brady
- October 7, 2024
Homicides
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Shooting
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stabbing
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Victims
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On Oct. 4, a homicide defendant rejected a global plea deal that would have required him to serve 56 years in prison, before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt.
Reginald Steele, 24, and 27-year-old Aaron Brown are two of five individuals charged with conspiracy, first-degree murder while armed, assault with the intent to kill while armed, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in connection to the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes on March 1, 2020, on the 600 block of S Street, NW. Another juvenile sustained injuries after suffering a gunshot wound to the leg.
The incident also involved Koran Jackson, 23, Tyiion Kyree Freeman, 24, and Stephen Nelson, 22. Judge Brandt sentenced the individuals to 164 years, 108 years, and 108.5 years of incarceration, respectively, on Sept. 13 and Sept. 19.
The rejected global plea offer would resolve three of Steele’s cases and would have required him to plead guilty to second-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon for the Lukes’ incident.
In 2021, Steele was also allegedly involved in a jail stabbing. If he accepted the plea, he would have been required to plead guilty to assault with a deadly weapon in connection to the stabbing. All other charges for other incidents would have been dismissed.
Megan Allburn, the defense attorney for Steele, informed Judge Brandt that Steele was rejecting the deal, and asserted his right to a speedy trial.
The prosecution made a motion to recombine the trial for Steele and Brown, who were previously severed.
However, the motion was decided, as parties in the Brown case are still in plea negotiations. Brown will be required to make a decision on the plea deal at his next hearing.
Parties set a trial date in February 2025 for Steele’s stabbing case.
All parties will reconvene on Oct. 15.