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By
John Battistelli
- February 18, 2025
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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Victims
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The defendant in a fatal shooting case waived his right to test DNA evidence separately from the prosecution’s testing before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on Feb. 18.
Desmond Thurston, 47, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed, first-degree burglary, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of his romantic partner Patricia Johnson, 52, on Oct. 1, 2023 on the 4000 block of 13th Street, SE.
The prosecution told the court that they completed all the testing that they had intended to perform on the evidence, although it was unclear what they tested.
Thurston’s attorney, Brian McDaniel, stated that they had no need to perform independent testing of the evidence. He, on behalf of Thurston, waived their right to do so, with the waiver being accepted by Judge Brandt.
Parties are slated to reconvene on Aug. 5.