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By
D.C. Witness Staff
- July 22, 2020
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On July 22, a DC Superior Court Judge denied a defendant’s second request to be released from DC Jail due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tony Arrington is charged with second-degree burglary for allegedly entering a business on the 700 block of Kennedy Street, NW and stealing around $1,680 on Feb. 19. He has been held in DC Jail since Feb. 21.
Arrington, 50, has from a number of underlying health concerns that could make him more vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus. He requested to be released from DC Jail because of health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic before.
A judge also denied his request in April.
The second motion for release was filed in June.
Defense attorney Sara Kopecki said her client’s underlying health conditions have made him “genuinely fearful” of contracting the coronavirus. She also said this stress has exacerbated his underlying medical conditions, and he is now receiving steroidal treatment.
Kopecki said Arrington could stay with his cousin in Capitol Heights, Md. and would willingly to wear a GPS monitoring device and comply with home confinement.
Judge Erik Christian said he found the motion was no different from the motion that was denied in April.
The judge said Arrington has received appropriate treatment from DC Jail for his medical issues and, while Arrington’s block-mates have been previously treated for the virus, there are currently no cases of the coronavirus within the facility.
Arrington, who has a criminal history, including a pending burglary charge in Maryland and noncompliance with release conditions in the past, still poses a danger to the community and is a flight risk, Judge Christian said.
According to Keena Blackmon, director of strategic communications and public information officer for the DC Jail, there have been no new COVID-19 cases at Department of Correction’s facilities since early June.
Blackmon said the jail has only identified one new inmate who tested positive during the jail’s intake process. The process includes a 14-day quarantine for medical observation for every new inmate. It was instituted as part of the DC Jail’s COVID-19 protocols.
Arrington is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 28.