Case Acquitted: Defense Witness’ Testimony Disputed in Murder Trial

By Rhiannon Little [former] , Ying He [former] - August 10, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | stabbing | Suspects | Victims |

This case was acquitted on Aug. 15, 2023.

On Aug. 9, both parties delivered closing arguments in a 2021 homicide trial before D.C. Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe.

Jermaine Washington, 39, is charged with second-degree murder for his alleged involvement in the stabbing of 40-year-old Keon Bonner on Oct. 26, 2021, on the 1500 block of Ogden Street, NW.

Washington’s attorney, Rachel McCoy, made a motion for acquittal, saying a reasonable juror could not find Washington guilty based on the evidence–the motion was denied.

Disputes continued about the credibility of Washington’s account in an interview with a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective regarding a hospital visit the night of the incident. 

Before closing arguments, the defense received the medical record of a witness and confirmed the person was present and ready to testify. He said he is not Washington’s biological brother, but they call each other “brother” based on their 20-year friendship. 

Washington’s friend testified that he was staying at the George Washington University (GW) Hospital on the day of the murder following foot surgery, and Washington visited him. After the witness’ testimony, the defense rested its case.

The prosecution called a rebuttal witness, the Director of Safety and Security at the GW Hospital. The witness discussed the passage point system used to check in visitors at the hospital, where no one over the age of 12 can enter without signing in and getting their picture taken.

The prosecution presented screenshots of search results from the hospital’s passage point system that showed Washington’s friend did not receive any visitors during his stay in October 2021, and no one signed in with the name Jermaine or JT Washington.

During the cross-examination, McCoy asked if the system could have missed someone’s sign-in record. The witness reiterated the rules, saying visitors are not let in without being accounted for.

In the prosecution’s closing arguments, they reviewed their proposed timeline of events on the night of the incident using cell phone records, surveillance footage, and a recording of a 911 call from an eyewitness. They said a guilty verdict is “the only verdict that makes sense.”

The prosecutor also showed physical evidence to the jury. When Washington was arrested in December 2021, the police allegedly found a pocket knife. The 5-inch knife matches a witness’s description of the presumed murder weapon.

In the defense’s closing arguments, Washington’s attorney Stephen Logerfo said prosecutors have relied on speculation and have not met the burden of proof. 

Logerfo pointed to discrepancies in the physical descriptions from witnesses and the lack of DNA evidence collected and tested from the scene. He argued that prosecutors failed to prove the motive for Washington to commit the alleged murder. He highlighted that Washington is presumed to be innocent and asked for a “not guilty” verdict from the jury.

Parties will return on Aug. 10 for jury deliberations.