A homicide defendant’s attorney argued for his release after he developed severe medical issues under Department of Corrections (DOC) care. The matter came before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park on March 31.
Desmond Barr Jr., 25, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction of more than one year for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Ambria Farmer, 21, on the 3300 block of Fort Dupont Drive, SE, on July 13, 2024. Farmer sustained three gunshot wounds.
All charges face an aggravating factor of allegedly being committed while Barr was on release for a prior offense.
Barr was not present at the hearing. A discharge summary from Howard University Hospital was shared with the defense and DOC, but it was unclear to both parties if he had actually been discharged.
Barr’s attorney, Hannah Claudio, said Barr developed a series of medical issues beginning on March 22. He had a hematoma in his left leg, a wound where blood pools inside the body and causes swelling, and rhabdomyolysis, the rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle, according to his defense. Claudio also said he had an E. coli urinary tract infection after it was treated improperly.
“All three of these conditions were life threatening, and all three of these conditions were preventable,” Claudio said.
Barr, who is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of a 2020 spinal cord injury, was taken to the emergency room on March 23 after his left leg swelled more and he began to feel pain. He was lifted into a Ford Explorer and not secured with a seatbelt, Claudio said. The jostling movement may have made his conditions worse, Claudio said a doctor informed the defense.
A doctor with the defense told the court that Barr’s recent conditions are not typical for someone with a spinal cord injury.
Another doctor from Unity Health Care, who works with the DOC, said the hematoma was likely related to the blood thinners Barr took after being treated for deep vein thrombosis–severe bloood clots– in November 2025. The DOC doctor noted that Barr reported banging his leg when getting out of bed prior to developing the hematoma, a minor trauma which can increase the chances of bleeding issues in people on blood thinners.
“All the issues we said Barr had are established, pre-existing conditions,” the DOC doctor said.
The defense doctor said individuals with Barr’s conditions can develop additional medical issues, but she was concerned the DOC could not recognize changes or exacerbation’s in Barr’s illnesses and could not catch them early enough.
Claudio noted that after Barr was treated for deep vein thrombosis, the hospital ordered that he have a follow-up appointment with a hematologist that she said never occurred.
“They could have recognized he was at high-risk of hematoma,” Claudio said.
The DOC doctor said Barr was seen by a hematologist who suggested he switch to a new blood thinner, but Claudio said this assessment occurred at his initial hospitalization. The DOC doctor said he has a follow-up with the hematologist.
Barr’s defense requested his release to attend an in-patient program before being transferred to a rehabilitation center for physical therapy. Claudio said this program would likely take five weeks or more, after which Barr could be placed in home confinement at his sister or mother’s home.
A representative from the DC Public Defender Service (PDS) Office of Rehabilitation and Development said a GPS monitor could be placed on Barr’s left leg or wrists to circumvent the hematoma swelling in his left leg. They also noted that Barr’s car, which was specially designed for a paralyzed driver, is being held by DC, so he will not have any access to a vehicle while confined.
Claudio said this arrangement would provide Barr access to his medical team, preventing further issues. “When he is at home, he is in control,” Claudio said.
Another doctor with the DOC said they would be able to manage Barr’s conditions and physical therapy at the DC Jail. He said Barr can be taken off site for any treatments that can not be completed at the jail or that require special equipment.
“If that is all possible, why wasn’t it done before?” Judge Park asked.
The other DOC doctor said Barr was being slowly weaned off treatments related to his previous medical issues. He also said Barr’s deep vein thrombosis risk was increased by the additional time he spent seated while incarcerated.
He added that they work for Unity Health Care, which is contracted by the DOC, so they would prioritize Barr’s medical needs over DOC requests.
“We work for Unity, not for DOC. There is a medical standard that needs to be followed and we will not be stopped,” the doctor said. “If there is anything beyond DOC, then we would file for compassionate release.”
The prosecution did not make any arguments at this hearing, but Judge Park said he understood they would likely maintain their objections to any changes to incarceration.
Judge Park did not make any decisions about Barr’s custody during the hearing. The prosecutor said members of Farmer’s family would likely want to address the court.
Parties are scheduled to reconvene on April 1.
