Defense Plans on Filing Motion to Suppress

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During a status hearing, a defense attorney said he was going to file a motion.

Kavonte Richardson, 26, is charged with robbery while armed, first-degree murder while armed, and carrying a dangerous weapon for allegedly stabbing Matthew Scott Rooker on the 600 block of 7th Street, NW, on May 23, 2018.

Richardson’s defense attorney, Mani Golzari, said that he was going to file a motion to suppress statements by March 13. Golzari said he anticipates two issues from the motion.

Golzari said he thinks there would be a legal issue with statements given to a detective. He said he is also not sure if the defense is intending to call a witness about Richardson’s mental health.

The mental health expert, if called, would comment about whether the statements Richardson told the police were voluntary and willful or if they were a product of mental illness.

The defense attorney said he would also supplement the motion with any information he would gather from the expert by March 20.

The prosecution has until March 25 to responsd to the defense’s motion.

Golzari also said that all the material for DNA testing has been sent out. He said that while the prosecution did provide a more detailed expert notice, the defense will be contacting the expert witnesses.

A status hearing is scheduled to occur on March 25.

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