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By
Rachel Benck [former]
- April 21, 2023
Court
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Daily Stories
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Non-Fatal Shooting
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Shooting
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Suspects
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One of three co-defendants in a non-fatal shooting case decided to exercise his right to test evidence for DNA on April 20, approximately one month before the trial was scheduled to begin.
Stefon Freshley, 27, Jamal Matthews, 34, and Darnell Savoy, 23, are charged with conspiracy, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, two counts of aggravated assault knowingly while armed regarding a non-fatal-shooting that occurred on Dec 28, 2018, on the 200 block of 54th Street, NE.
The testing would further delay proceedings in a case on a crime committed nearly five years ago.
During an April 4 hearing, Freshley’s attorney, Matthew Davies, said the defendant has decided to independently test evidence for potential DNA, and that it could take up to 16 weeks for the results.
DNA testing would push the trial back by almost a year to April 8, 2024, to accommodate for the time needed to receive the results.
In a previous hearing, Davies requested more time to decide whether they would exercise this right. At that time, DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe expressed concern that further deliberation would cause a delay in trial.
Two weeks later, that concern became reality.
Savoy’s attorney, Rachel McCoy, told Judge O’Keefe that in light of this new schedule, they are considering filing a motion to sever, exercising Savoy’s right to a speedy trial.
The prosecution said they would object if the motion is filed.