Case Acquitted: Family Member Testifies Against Defendant in Murder Trial

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This case has been acquitted.

On Sept. 28, more witness testimony was presented in a 2017 homicide trial before DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun.

Cedric Alexander, also known as Tony White, 52, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, robbery while armed, two counts of possession during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license outside the home or place of business with a prior felony for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Daquan Hooks on the 1900 block of 13th Street, SE on March 23, 2017.

The prosecution began by calling an Alexander family member, The witness explained the relationship between the two of them had been estranged, despite their few moments of reconciliation. The witness testified that Alexander had confessed to murdering someone. “I done’d him,” Alexander allegedly confided to the witness.

After feeling uncomfortable with the information, he relayed the information about the murder to a police officer who called for reinforcements.

Sellano Simmons, Alexander’s defense attorney, questioned why the witness turned in Alexander. The witness explained that he had hoped to get a ride back to his residence in Virginia in exchange for providing more information to the police.

The witness acknowledged he originally did not give all the accurate details of the encounter with Alexander to the police, but that he was being truthful now.

Due to the nature of their estranged relationship, Simmons asked the jury to consider why Alexander chose to confide in this witness about such a private matter.

The prosecution called a Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) Detective who explained how Alexander’s family member inquired about transportation to his residence after giving a detective all the information Alexander told him about the murder. The detective transferred the case to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

The trial is set to resume Oct. 2.

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