An FBI examiner testified before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park on Nov. 17 that a shooting defendant had a lower probability of leaving DNA residue on a pistol used in a murder than the two victims at the crime scene.
Julius Worthy, 39, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a prior convict for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing and shooting of 36-year-old Orlando Galloway. The incident occurred on April 2, 2023 on the 200 block of 14th Street, SE. Galloway’s girlfriend was also found in the home suffering from multiple stab wounds.
Prosecutors called two forensic examiners to testify about DNA and fingerprint evidence recovered from the crime scene. The FBI examiner testified about the presence of DNA from Worthy, Galloway, and the stabbing victim on various pieces of evidence recovered from the crime scene.
In her analysis of the items, which included a pistol, knife, magazine, Worthy’s hoodie, fingernails and a fingernail clipper from Galloway, a doorknob, and a piece of plastic, the examiner developed statistical probabilities of the likelihood that one of the things examined had residual DNA.
Notably, she found that Worthy’s sample ha the lowest probability of DNA on the pistol out of the three people, and had the highest likelihood for DNA presence on both the handle and blade of the knife.
She also tested several blood stains on Worthy’s hoodie, which indicated that there was DNA present from three other people, though Galloway and the stabbing victim were not identified as having a high probability of residual bloodstain DNA.
During cross examination, Worthy’s attorney, Michael Bruckheim, focused on the DNA findings of the pistol and knife, pointing out that Galloway had a higher DNA probability on the handle of the knife than the blade and that Worthy had the lowest probability of the three of them of having left behind DNA on the pistol.
“You can’t exclude [Worthy] from the pistol DNA but it’s less likely he was on it than more likely,” the witness said during cross examination.
Prosecutors also called n investigator with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who catalogued several of the murder weapons into evidence. Prosecutors showed the 9mm semi-automatic pistol allegedly used in the murder to the jury, which sustained damage to the dust cover.
Prosecutors have previously claimed that Worthy beat Galloway so extensively with a firearm, that his skull caved in and a part of the gun’s frame snapped off.
Prosecutors also called an FBI forensic examiner who said that she only successfully lifted a fingerprint from the interior side of a rear kitchen door. She was able very likely match the extraction with an image of Worthy’s left ring finger from the FBI database.
During cross examination, Steven Ogilvie, Worthy’s other attorney, pointed out that the examiner did not detect Worthy’s fingerprints on the pistol, knife, or a pair of scissors recovered from the crime scene. He also noted that she cannot tell when Worthy touched the rear kitchen door based on his fingerprint.
Prosecutors called on a witness who lived in the area of the incident at the time who stated that she was in her home when she heard screaming around 7 p. m., which she assumed came from a woman in distress. The prosecution displayed surveillance footage from the home where the witness can be seen exiting her front door and scanning the street, before loud screams are heard in the audio.
The witness testified that as she stood in her doorway, she saw two figures fighting, one wearing white and one wearing orange, in the house diagonal to her own. She testified that could see the altercation through the screen door, before the front door was slammed shut and she later called 911 about what she had seen.
The prosecution also called a paramedic who testified he found two injured individuals, a female in the doorway and a male towards the back of the home whom he declared dead on arrival.
In completing primary and secondary exams of the surviving victim, the witness testified she was suffering from penetrating stab wounds on her neck, back, abdomen, and hands, with abrasions on her arms. Given the severity of her injuries, she was transferred her to Washington MedStar hospital for trauma care and treatment.
The prosecution also called on a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) homicide detective who went to the hospital twice, once the night of April 2, 2023 and once in the early morning hours of April 3, 2023, to interview the victim.
However, the detective testified that both times he spoke with the victim, she only identified her assailant as “Juju.”
The prosecution also played audio recordings from the detective’s second interview with the victim, asking her “do you know this person?”, in regards to the photograph, to which the victim responded, “that’s him, that’s Juju”.
The detective testified that he was also present for Worthy’s arrest, and attempted to complete an interview with him in custody on April 3, 2023.
During cross-examination, the defense also asked the detective if he consulted with doctors about the possibility of the victim being under the influence of drugs administered for medical treatment. However, the witness was unable to confirm that.
Trial is set to resume Nov. 18.
