Homicide Defendant Pleads Not Guilty in Arraignment

By Hypatia Fitzsimons [former] - November 27, 2023
Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Nov. 27, homicide defendant Isaiah Trotman was arraigned before DC Superior Court Maribeth Raffinan and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Trotman, 32, is charged with first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances and 13 assaults with a dangerous weapon, among other charges, for his alleged involvement in shooting incidents that occurred on Feb. 1 at the intersection of 38th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, and the 1400 block of Potomac Avenue, SE, inside the Potomac Avenue Metro Station.

The shootings killed 64-year-old Robert Cunningham, and left three other individuals suffering from non-life-threatening injuries. 

According to court documents, the defendant allegedly fired multiple shots on a Metro bus on the M6 route. Trotman then went towards the Potomac Avenue Metro station where he shot and kidnapped the second victim forcing them down to the platform of the Metro station. On the platform, he allegedly shot two more people and killing 64-year-old Robert Cunningham. 

Trotman’s defense attorney, Joseph Yarbough, alerted the court that Trotman was pleading not guilty to all charges. Yarbough asserted Trotman’s Constitutional rights and is “requesting a speedy trial.” 

Yarbough requested Trotman be put in home confinement so he can receive therapeutic services, arguing the jail lacks adequate resources. According to the defense, Trotman is “100 percent compliant with his treatment at the DC jail.” In addition he has “no doubt Trotman would not leave his home.” 

According to Yarbough, Trotman’s mental health problem had adversely affected his behavior and that he was not in the right state during the incident, due to “bizarre statements” Trotman was making, “not based in reality.” 

The defense claimed it is clear Troutman has mental health issues, because only cannabinoids (marijuana) were found in drug testing. Thus, Trotman was not in any altered state from using drugs on Feb. 1. According to Yarbough, the drug testing shows this is “not a drug use situation at all, it’s his mental health.”

The prosecution requested to keep Trotman at the DC jail. She cautioned against home confinement because he was on release for an unrelated matter in another jurisdiction when the incident occurred. She added on saying he was “terrorizing individuals.” When arguing against home confinement, the prosecutor said  “we cannot hope and pray nothing happens. That’s a risk that is just too great.” 

The prosecutor believes Trotman should stay at the DC jail for his own mental health, because it is being managed there with proper treatment.

Judge Raffinan decided there was clear and convincing evidence to hold Trotman in the DC jail. She said “I don’t believe the release plan rebuts the presumption of danger.”

A status hearing will occur on Dec. 13.