Defense Asks for Materials Citing Possible ‘Mitigating Factors’

By D.C. Witness Staff - September 19, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

During a status hearing on Sept. 18,  the defense requested access to documents in order to find possible “mitigating factors” in a murder that occurred in 2018. 

Keith Sweptson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in January for beating 33-year-old Yusef Turner to death with a piece of lumber. Sweptson, 31, was allegedly assisted by another man, 32-year-old Kevin Carter, to carry out the crime in a laundromat on the 3500 block of Georgia Avenue, NW. Carter is also charged with first-degree murder.

Defense counselor John Fowler requested to be able to look over witness statements, grand jury transcripts related to the motive and an alleged letter written by Carter. 

Fowler said he wanted to look over the materials in order to find any circumstances that could potentially shorten his client’s sentence. 

He suggested that if the victim stole something, alleged to be drugs or a gun, according to witness testimony, from Sweptson, it could be a possible mitigating circumstance. However, Fowler said he did not know which circumstance would be better than the others and would need to see the materials before making a case. 

D.C. Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe was concerned over the “vague” expansiveness of Fowler’s request.

The prosecution argued that the request had “two degrees of speculation… that there may be something that may be useful.” 

Judge Iscoe said he would conduct an in chambers review of the materials outside of the courtroom. The judge will also look over a previously submitted video detailing the incident in the laundromat. 

Fowler suggested the court set a sentencing date in December, citing Sweptson’s progress in the DC Jail GED program. Fowler also said the defendant would like to finish the program before he transfers to the Bureau of Prison’s custody. 

Sweptson’s next status hearing is scheduled on Sept. 25. A sentencing date has not been scheduled as of Sept. 18. 

Carter is scheduled for a felony status conference on Oct. 4.