Defendant Rejects Plea, Opts for Third Murder Trial

By D.C. Witness Staff - October 26, 2018
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

On Oct. 23, a murder defendant rejected a plea offer and decided to proceed with his third trial.

Derryck Decuir has been tried twice for allegedly shooting 15-year-old Malek Dayvon Mercer on the 2800 block of 28th Street, SE, in 2015. Mercer died days before his 16th birthday.

During a status hearing, prosecutors offered Decuir, 26, a plea deal for voluntary manslaughter.  However, Decuir rejected the plea offer, choosing to take his case to trial.

In 2017, a jury found Decuir guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior felony, carrying a firearm without a license with a prior felony, obstruction of justice and tampering with physical evidence. He is currently serving a  23-year sentence. A mistrial was declared on the murder charges.

In March, Decuir was tried a second time for murder and gun possession charges. The trial resulted in another mistrial.

The third trial against Decuir is expected to be held on April 1, 2019.

A trial readiness hearing is scheduled on March 8,2019.