Defendant Rejects Plea Deal in Homicide Case

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On March 8, a plea deal was rejected by a homicide defendant before DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe.

Alonzo Brown, 26, and Naquel Henderson, 25, are charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and conspiracy to commit a crime of violence in connection to the death of 21-year-old Michael Taylor on Jan. 12, 2019, on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE.

The prosecution offered Brown a plea deal, which required him to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter, in exchange for a dismissal of all other charges.

Through the agreement, the parties would have agreed to a sentence of eight-to-13 years of imprisonment.

Steven Kiersch, Brown’s defense attorney, alerted the court that Brown rejected the plea deal.

During the hearing, parties also addressed issues relating to violations of release and a stay-away order for Henderson.

The prosecution referenced a report from Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) that reported marijuana use and three missed check-ins. The judge stated that these concerns would be addressed at a later date.

A trial readiness hearing is set for May 3.