Forensic Specialists Testify at Murder Trial

Thank you for reading D.C. Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

Two Department of Forensic Science (DFS) personnel testified during a trial for the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old boy. The man who tried to help the victim after he was shot also took the stand.

Tony McClam is charged with first-degree murder while armed in the death of Karon Brown on July 18, 2019, on the 2700 block of Naylor Road, SE.

One of DFS personnel was an evidence processing specialist responsible for analyzing the alleged murder weapon, a pistol, and the magazines related to it. During the Dec. 14 proceedings, he testified that no blood or significant DNA was found on the weapon.

The third witness took Brown to a firehouse after he was shot. Defense attorney Jason Tulley asked him why he didn’t take Brown to a hospital instead.

“I knew a lot of the firehouses because I used to train there when I was trying to get certified,” he responded. “I felt they were closer than any hospital.”

Tulley then asked if the witness did anything to help the boy while he was in the car. “I didn’t think there was anything I could do as I was driving,” he said. “My girlfriend was in the car with me but she was calling 911.”

The witness’ 911 call was admitted as evidence. Tulley asked the witness why the phone was hung up during the 911 call. “I only hung up because we had reached the firehouse,” he said. “They knew where I was taking him and I needed to talk to the emergency services that were already there.”

The defense also admitted video footage of the witness making a U-turn while driving with Brown in his back seat. Tulley asked the witness why he turned the car around. “The boy told me where he lived but I heard him wrong,” he said, in tears. “When I re-asked for clarification, I realized I needed to turn around because I was going the wrong way.”

Finally, Tulley asked the witness about the boy’s vitals while in the car.

“After about five minutes he went unconscious,” he said. “All I could hear was his limp body moving around in the back seat and I thought to myself he might already be dead.”

The prosecution plans to have two expert witnesses testify during the next day of the trial.

Follow this case