Defense Motions to Pause DNA Testing in Juvenile Murder Case

By D.C. Witness Staff - October 31, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Juveniles | Suspects | Victims |

The defense asked the court to halt DNA testing to stop consumption in a juvenile’s murder case.

The juvenile is charged with first-degree murder and assault with the intent to kill for allegedly stabbing 15-year-old Jaquar McNair to death on the 300 block of 1st Street, SE on Oct. 12.

The juvenile’s defense attorney, Matthew Davies, requested the lab be permitted to begin testing on biological materials, but not test all the evidence.

Davies did not argue for specific items of evidence. Instead, he said he did not want the prosecution to test all the evidence, requesting that the process be stopped in the middle of testing. He said he wanted to discuss testing to decide if the defense would test materials as well.

The prosecutor told the judge that testing would be conducted on stains from a sweatshirt and a screw driver that may have been used during the murder.

He also said the lab needed court orders to begin testing and would not stop in the middle of the process.

DC Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz said there was no way possible to begin testing and then stop in the middle of the process in order to litigate what evidence the defense would like to test.

She denied the defense’s motion to preclude consumption.

A status hearing is scheduled on Nov. 14.