Defendant Waives Preliminary Hearing, Judge Orders Detention

By Alex Garcia Pecina - September 30, 2024
Daily Stories | stabbing | Suspects |

DC Superior Court Judge Renee Raymond ruled to keep a defendant in custody on Sept. 30 because of safety concerns after he waived his rights to a preliminary hearing.

Danta Forter. 47, is charged with aggravated assault knowingly while armed for his alleged involvement in a stabbing at the Metro Center Station on the 600 block of 11th Street, NW that occurred on July 1. The victim was injured to the extent his intestines were protruding from a stab wound to his lower abdomen.

According to court documents, a video camera captured the stabbing as an individual, later identified as Foster, followed the victim off a train car. The two were engaged in a verbal argument when the suspect approached and stabbed the victim.

Quo Judkins, Foster’s attorney, informed the court that the defendant waived his rights to a preliminary hearing. She requested that Foster be released, noting that DC Superior Court Judge Jennifer Di Toro had previously agreed to release Foster to a mandatory inpatient drug treatment in a separate case.

“The incident was a very violent stabbing,” countered the prosecution. She emphasized that the stabbing was unprovoked and Foster did not know the victim. The prosecution also pointed out that Foster had two undisclosed pending cases and a probation in Maryland at the time of the stabbing. 

The prosecution asked for Foster to be held due to the violent nature of his actions and his criminal history.

Judge Raymond believed there were no reasonable conditions that could be applied to the defendant to keep the community safe and she ruled to keep Foster held.

Parties are slated to reconvene Sept. 29.