Editor’s Note: Aillayh Carter was acquitted of all charges by a jury on March 19, 2026.
A detective testified that an obstruction defendant took responsibility for a fatal shooting she didn’t commit in a trial before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on March 18.
Aillayh Carter, 29, is charged with two counts of obstruction of justice for her alleged attempt to influence two witnesses in a homicide case.
Carter’s case was severed on Feb. 20 from her fiancé, Robert Carpenter, 37, who is charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. These charges stem from his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 42-year old Tremaine Nicholson on the 3400 block of 25th Street, SE, on May 7, 2024. Nicholson sustained four gunshot wounds.
Before the jury entered the courtroom, Carter’s attorney, Gregory Copeland, asked Judge Ryan to require the prosecution to refrain from calling the incident a “murder” and instead call it a “killing.”
Copeland claims that the prosecution is, “proceeding in this case as if it is a murder case” which it is not because Carter is not charged with murder.
Judge Ryan agreed with Copeland and asked the prosecution to be more careful with their language going forward because “words matter.”
In the video evidence provided by the prosecution that showed the outside of Carter’s apartment, the lead detective on the case pointed out a truck that belonged to Carpenter, proving he was at Carter’s apartment on the day of the homicide.
After the incident, the detective said body-worn camera footage showed an interview between him and Carter in which the detective said Carter would constantly be crying and then go silent. The detective testified Carter told police that Carpenter was there to drop off a pack of cigarettes at her apartment and left right after, having no involvement in the homicide.
According to the detective, throughout the interview, Carter consistently took responsibility for shooting Nicholson and questioned why the detective kept asking her about Carpenter.
The detective discussed additional body-worn camera footage in which an officer encountered Carter crying outside her apartment and “claimed” to the officer that she was injured.
During cross-examination, Copeland challenged the detective’s use of the word “claimed” when talking about Carter’s injury. He pointed out that Carter went to the hospital due to hyperventilation after the shooting. In response, the detective said that they use the term “claimed” when referring to statements that are made by any suspects in a case.
A forensic medical examiner described Nicholson’s multiple gunshot wounds that determined the cause of death was a homicide. The witness detailed four gunshot wounds: one to the left shoulder, one to the left lower back, and two to the back of his head and neck. They confirmed Nicholson had high levels of marijuana in his system when he died.
The prosecution reviewed DNA evidence obtained from a swab of Carter’s cheek and remnants from from her clothing. The witnesses confirmed there were no errors made in analyzing her DNA.
A DNA analyst verified the integrity of the test results showing Carter’s DNA was likely in the clothing she wore during the incident that Carpenter’s DNA was probably present as well.
A ballistics specialist testified that after examining the shell casings recovered from the scene and comparing them to other shell casings, he concluded that they were consistent with bullets fired from the gun in evidence. According to court documents and past testimony, the gun was recovered from Carpenter’s truck.
Parties will reconvene on March 19.
