Homicide Case Continues As Plea Offer Gets Extended Again

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During a Nov. 21 hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee continued a homicide case again to give the defense more time to discuss the prosecution’s plea offer.

Jonathan Young, 37, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 22-year-old Dewayne Shorter III on Jan. 26, 2021, on the 1300 block of Brentwood Road, NE.

Defense attorney Brian McDaniel said he wants Young to review the rest of the video from the night of the shooting before he makes his final decision on the plea offer.

The prosecutor agreed to extend the plea offer again because he understands that McDaniel has been in a trial before Judge Lee, but he doesn’t want the plea offer to be dragged out too far.

The prosecutor also mentioned that the video is one of the most significant pieces of evidence, and it is critical for Young to review it with counsel as soon as possible.

For all ballistics work, all evidence was outsourced with an expert on the west coast. It was sent over towards the end of October and is expected to take 3-4 months to get results.

Shorter was found unconscious in the back seat of a car located on the 1200 block of Saratoga Avenue, NE, according to court documents. The police determined that Shorter was shot on the 1300 block of Brentwood Road, NE before a witness carried him to a car to be transported to a hospital. Shorter suffered from six gunshot wounds.

Young’s next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 11

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