Judge Continues Preliminary Hearing

By D.C. Witness Staff - August 10, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

A DC Superior Court judge continued a preliminary hearing from Aug. 7 to Aug. 25 

The defendant is charged with assault with intent to commit first-degree sexual abuse.

Defense attorney Sylvia Smith asked that the hearing be continued so her client may have additional time to consider the prosecution’s plea offer.

The prosecution said the 36-year-old defendant must respond to the offer by Aug. 13.

Smith also asked that the prosecution hand over all evidence in the case. She said it was “problematic” that the prosecution has not provided the defense with the victim’s name or an interview with the victim and the detective.

The prosecutor said she offered to make the interviews and Body Worn Camera (BWC) available, but the defense attorney denied any compromise with the evidence. The prosecutor said this has never happened to them before.

Judge Danya Dayson said both parties are operating within their rights. However, she said, “I think there’s probably a better way to go about the whole thing.”

On May 29, the defendant allegedly approached a woman, grabbed her buttocks, and said, “you got a fat a**, wanna go into the alley and f***.” When she refused, he allegedly punched her in the face, according to court documents. 

The defendant followed the victim, who began to walk away. He then allegedly exposed himself, grabbed her, pushed her to the floor and dragged her behind a parked car on the 4600 block of B Street, SE.

He allegedly yelled “shut up” when she was screaming for help. The defendant fled the scene when a witness told the defendant to leave the victim alone.

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers were able to apprehend the defendant, who allegedly tried to run away and jump a fence. 

The defendant is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 17 to discuss his release status. If the defendant does not enter a guilty plea, the hearing will be vacated.