DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt alerted parties in a homicide case about a juror’s alleged violation of a pre-deliberation instruction Jan. 8, two weeks before the defendant was slated for sentencing.
Reginald Steele, 26, was convicted of first-degree murder while armed, four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, six counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license for his involvement in multiple shootings, including the March 1, 2020 fatal shooting of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes on the 600 block of S Street, NW.
During the hearing, Judge Brandt said earlier this week she was alerted that a juror posted images of the jury deliberation room, one of which depicted jurors as they started deliberations.
The main concern was the jurors’ identities being made public.
Megan Allburn, Steele’s attorney, voiced her “extreme concern,” stating “immediately upon being selected on this jury, [the juror] is directly violating an instruction with the court – which I think then begins to taint his entire action as a juror and deliberating juror in this jury.”
Allburn stated she was concerned about Steele’s right to a fair jury, insisting that the posts call into question all of his actions and whether or not he convicted Steele based on the evidence provided by the parties in trial, or by outside information.
“To post faces of his fellow jurors is just… it completely upsets the justice process. I am extremely concerned,” Allburn said. “I’m in uncharted territory here, your honor.”
The prosecution disagreed the juror might not have given Steele a fair trial, stating “the only thing I see so far is that someone took pictures of a place they were going to spend two months in.”
They further argued there is no evidence that the juror included extraneous information in their deliberations, but agreed it was “not smart to do what he did.”
Parties agreed to have the juror appear before the court to explain what transpired, and are slated to reconvene Jan. 23.
Steele’s sentencing has been postponed.
