Thank you for reading D.C. Witness.
Help us continue our mission into 2025 by donating to our end of year campaign.
By
Kiliane Gateau [former]
- April 11, 2024
Daily Stories
|
Homicides
|
Shooting
|
Suspects
|
Victims
|
On April 11, witness testimonies continued before DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein in a domestic fatal shooting stemming from an alleged dispute over a five dollars worth of marijuana.
Stephon Williams, 32, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol outside a home or business for his alleged involvement in the shooting of his 49-year-old father Stephen Magruder on September 11, 2020, on the 700 block of 51st Street, NE.
The prosecution called on William’s half brother, who witnessed the altercation. During his testimony, he referred to Williams as “Buddah,” and recounted being in the living room with Williams as they watched cartoons.
He detailed how Williams offered cigarettes to their father, sparking an argument about owed money. He described Williams attempting to defuse the situation by leaving the room, but Magruder prevented him from doing so. According to the witness, Magruder pushed Williams into the hallway, leading to a confrontation in the bathroom.
“Buddah was trying to leave. My dad kept pushing him into the bathroom,” he stated.
He mentioned peeking into the hallway and hearing a loud bang, which he assumed was his father hitting the wall. After the altercation, Magruder collapsed in the living room, prompting the witness’ mother to alert the neighbors. Meanwhile, Williams fled the house, and the witness saw him running into the street as he looked out the window.
“I didn’t see exactly where Buddah went. I remember looking out the window and saw him running down the street near the woods before the police came,” he said.
The witness also testified to seeing a brown gun inside Williams’ pink bag a few days before the incident. Despite Williams claiming it was a knife, the witness claimed to have seen a gun handle.
“I asked him what it was… he said it wasn’t a gun but a knife. I had already seen the gun,” he recalled.
During cross-examination, the witness testified that Williams was not pushing their father, and that Margruder was the one who started the altercation. Defense attorney Jason Tulley proceeded to state that Williams was never pushing Magruder, which the witness confirmed.
Following the brother’s testimony, prosecutors called a chief toxicologist from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). She conducted tests indicating that Magruder had consumed cannabis before the incident. However, she couldn’t specify the exact time of consumption.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Kavya Naini suggested that Magruder’s marijuana use could have induced paranoia and hallucinations, potentially contributing to the altercation. The witness acknowledged this possibility, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of an individual’s reaction to drugs.
In the redirect, the prosecution argued that marijuana can also have calming effects, implying that it might not have been the sole factor in initiating the conflict.
The prosecution also called a detective from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). She expressed being present when Williams was arrested and transferred to the Homicide Branch for questioning.
She mentioned conducting a search to verify if Williams possessed a gun license. According to her findings, Williams was not licensed to carry a firearm.
She then indicated that photographs were taken of Williams on the day of the incident. The prosecution presented these images to the jury.
Prosecution proceeded to ask the detective if she could identify any injuries on Williams in the photos. Defense attorney Tulley argued that physical injuries could be seen on Williams such as blood on his lips, and scratches on his face near his beard which she confirmed, further supporting Tulley’s claim that Williams acted in self-defense.
“I can see some injuries to his lips. I also see scratches near his beard,” she said.
Parties are slated to return on April 15.