Defense attorney Gretchen Franklin raised objections to the prosecution’s evidence in a carjacking conspiracy case before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on Nov. 12.
Irshaad Ellis-Bey, 20, Isaiah Flowers, 20, Taj Giles, 20, Bryon Gillum, 20, Jahkai Goff, 21, Jaelen Jordan, 20, and Warren Montgomery, 20, are charged with conspiracy, trafficking stolen property, two counts of armed carjacking, two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of robbery while armed. These charges stem from the group’s alleged involvement in a series of armed carjackings and the subsequent distribution of the stolen vehicles between February and May of 2023.
One of the carjackings occurred on Feb. 27, 2023 at the intersection of 20th Street and Sunderland Place, NW. Another carjacking took place at the intersection of K and 8th Street, NE, on April 27, 2023.
Additionally, Ellis-Bey, Flowers, Giles, Gillum, Goff, and Jordan are charged with two additional counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, armed carjacking of a senior citizen, receiving stolen property of $1000 or more, and robbery of a senior citizen while armed. These charges stem from their alleged involvement in a carjacking that occurred on the 600 block of Butternut Street, NW, on May 16, 2023.
Prosecutors called in a detective with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to testify. The detective participated in a search warrant on June 6, 2023, at an apartment on the 4400 block of Connecticut Avenue, NW.
It was not stated whose residence– however, the detective later testified that he went into the apartment to recover items that belonged to Jordan.
The detective’s body-worn camera footage showed him and other investigators as they made entry into the apartment.
In the video, one of the investigators was seen grabbing a Moncler bubble coat from a closet inside one of the bedrooms. The investigator also confiscated two pairs of white Nike Air Force 1 shoes from the same room.
Later in the video, the detective mentioned the name of the victim involved in the May 16, 2023 carjacking as he pulled the victim’s ID card from a shoebox inside the bedroom.
The coat, shoes, and victim’s ID card was brought in as physical evidence in court.
Upon cross-examination, Jordan’s defense attorney, Brian McDaniel, asked the detective if he and the other law enforcement officers tossed around clothes in the apartment, noting that in the video, the place looked ‘neat’ before the search warrant was executed.
The detective said that they were responsible for the place being stripped apart, and explained that it is part of the process to make sure that they do not miss any evidence.
McDaniel also inquired about the coat, pairs of shoes, and victim’s ID card that were recovered from the apartment and asked the detective why those items were specifically confiscated. The detective stated that his case manager guided him and the other investigators on which items to confiscate from the apartment.
Defense attorney Gretchen Franklin, who represents defendant Flowers, raised an objection to the prosecution’s continuing to show home raids footage and arrest videos of the defendants.
“Body-worn cameras of arrests and raids are irrelevant and inflammatory. It just shows videos of police with their guns,” Franklin argued.
The prosecution explained that the admission of home raids and arrest videos shows where the defendants lived in 2023, which they argue will help to connect cell site data. Additionally, the prosecution argued that these videos also give a physical description of how the defendants looked two years ago when they were arrested.
Judge Kravitz agreed with the defense’s argument of relevance. “There is no relevance in showing the defendants being arrested by U.S. Marshals with their guns and handcuffs,” Judge Kravitz argued.
Judge Kravitz ordered the prosecution to show one picture of each defendant to highlight their physical appearances in 2023.
The prosecution explained that they also intended to use the defendants’ booking photographs to show how they looked. Franklin made an objection to this as well, arguing that people tend to look ‘angry’ in their booking photographs and that the prosecution has ‘normal’ photos of the defendants that they could use to show their appearances.
Judge Kravitz stated, “I was told all the trial exhibits were disclosed before trial.”
“The defense needs to notify the prosecution of their objections instead of wasting the jury’s time,” said Judge Kravitz.
Parties are slated to reconvene on Nov. 13.
