Defense Moves to Enforce Retracted Plea Agreement in Co-Defendant Murder Case

By Aerial Lopez [former] - April 25, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

Two of the three co-defendants charged with first-degree murder requested to pursue a voided plea deal on April 25. Prosecutors said the wired plea agreement was retracted when Keith Baham rejected the offer. 

Raymond Avent, 23, Tyler Stringfield, 24, and Baham, 23, are held at the DC Jail for allegedly murdering Rafiq Hawkins, 23, on March 23, 2019, on the 1200 block of Brentwood Road, NE.

Avent, Baham, and Stringfield are charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence,  two counts of carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business,  two counts of possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device,  two counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, two counts of unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle, unauthorized use of a vehicle, fleeing a law enforcement officer, destruction of property less than $1,000, two counts of destruction of property $1,000 or more, and leaving after colliding with property damage or injury to an animal while armed.

Baham is also charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm due to a prior conviction.

The plea agreement in reference required all three co-defendants to enter a plea of guilty to one charge of second-degree murder while armed and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. Under the plea, if all defendants took it, they would serve 16 years in prison. 

However, Baham rejected the plea during Tuesday’s status hearing. His rejection of the plea resulted in its retraction for Avent and Stringfield. Both defendants’ attorneys, Leonard L. Long Jr. and Todd Baldwin, entered a verbal motion to enforce the plea. 

Long said his client signed the plea agreement with the understanding that it was unwired and, in the case the plea agreement is retracted, he would consider the action prosecutorial misconduct, or at the very least, an act committed in bad faith by the U.S. Attorney’s office.

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun said the parties raised interesting and valid arguments. He urged them to submit a written motion to enforce the plea agreement.

Even with the motion on record, the court scheduled a trial date for all three co-defendants. A jury trial is set for April 14, 2024. Counsel estimates the trial would take three weeks.

Parties are scheduled to return to court July 14 for a status hearing.