Homicide Defendant Demands New Attorneys

By Amanda Michelson [former] - July 26, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

In a July 26 hearing, a homicide defendant demanded new attorneys.

Daryl Thompson, 33, also known as Darryl Tompkims, is indicted on 14 charges, including two counts of first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license outside of a home or business, obstructing justice and threat to kidnap or injure a person for his alleged roles in the deaths of Edward Roberts Jr. and Tyler McEachern. Roberts, 29, was fatally shot on the 3500 block of 14th Street, NW, on July 30, 2016. McEachern, 23, was fatally shot on the 3100 block of Buena Vista Terrace, SE, on Aug. 29, 2016.

 Thompson expressed his desire to fire his defense attorneys Dana Page and Pierce Suen upon entering the courtroom.

Thompson told DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan that his attorneys, despite his objections, proceeded to challenge a Nov. 10, 2021, report filed by the DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) that found him competent to stand trial. 

“My attorneys are making me incompetent,” Thompson said. “I’m competent.”

DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe initially found Thompson incompetent to stand trial on Aug. 28, 2018, ordering the defendant to receive treatment at St. Elizabeths Hospital, DC’s psychiatric institution. DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz denied the prosecution’s request for forced medication to restore competence on Sept. 8, 2021.   

Judge Raffinan ruled that the burden of proof for the hearing will be on the prosecution to prove the defendant’s restoration to competency by a preponderance of the evidence. 

Judge Raffinan also ruled Thompson’s competency needs to be determined before the court can address his request for new attorneys. 

“I don’t want these attorneys to represent me,” Thompson said. 

Thompson filed around 60 pages of documents on his own behalf before leaving the courtroom. 

Judge Raffinan ruled that the papers would be copied and distributed, despite the defense attorneys’ wishes that the papers would be held until after the competency ruling. 

Judge Raffinan scheduled the next hearing for Jan 12.