Judge Allows Government to Collect DNA Sample from Murder Suspect

By Rebecca Silverman [former] - March 18, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | stabbing | Suspects |

A DC Superior Court judge allowed the government to collect a buccal swab from the defendant charged in a deadly shooting outside an apartment building.

Jarvis Jackson is accused of shooting 23-year-old Deont’e Minor to death in the parking lot of a Washington Highlands apartment complex on the evening of March 20, 2021. The 38-year-old defendant is charged with first-degree murder while armed.

During the most recent hearing for this case March 16, defense attorney Roderick Thompson voiced his opposition to the prosecutor seeking a warrant for a buccal swab of his client. The prosecution believes a mask and beanie found at the crime scene belonged to Jackson.

The crime scene is located by the 1200 block of Southern Avenue, SE. Thompson argued the mask and beanie could easily be “street trash” and the evidence was not strong enough to conduct a buccal swab, calling it “invasive and an invasion of privacy.”

DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee said he understood the argument, but pointed out that video evidence shows only two people at the scene when the shooting took place.

After Judge Lee allowed the buccal swab to be conducted, defense counsel requested Jackson’s release from DC Jail into home confinement. Judge Lee denied the request.

“Home confinement can’t stop or prevent behavior, it can only track it,” he said.

Parties are scheduled to meet in court again on May 26.