Judge Continues Hearing for 3 Defendants

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 6, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

On July 6, a DC Superior Court judge continued a hearing for three co-defendants charged with armed carjacking.

Rob Smith, Marc Kirk and Jihad Johnson allegedly stole a car on the 1600 block of Fairlawn Avenue, SE On April 21. Smith, Kirk and Johnson are accused of pointing a handgun at the victim and demanding his car. The three then drove off in the vehicle, according to a press release from the police.

The victim contacted the Metropolitan Police Department and used his car’s tracking device to locate the defendants.

The defendants were charged with armed carjacking with a gun the day after the incident. Kirk was also charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle.

Both Kirk and Smith were released under the High Intensity Supervision Program on June 8 and June 30, respectively.

Johnson is still being held at DC jail. His attorney, Stephanie Johnson, filed a motion for her client’s release on May 11, citing the disproportionate rates of COVID-19 infections on Black men. Judge Michael O’Keefe denied the motion the next day, but Johnson’s attorney renewed the motion on July 6.

Judge Juliet McKenna continued the hearing for the co-defendants. Johnson will partake in an independent bond review hearing, which will be scheduled at a later date with Judge McKenna’s chambers.

Kirk’s release was also discussed during the hearing. A notice was filed on July 1. Judge McKenna admonished Kirk to comply with the curfew requirements in his HISP contract if he wants to remain released.

Smith was absent from the hearing. His attorney, Sabitiyu Abou, suggested that his absence could be due to the shifting of courtrooms before the hearing began.

All three co-defendants will appear in court again on Sept. 8 to discuss the status of their cases.