Judge Denies Assault Acquittal in Stabbing Case

By Alex Garcia Pecina - October 11, 2024
Daily Stories | Robbery | stabbing | Suspects | Victims |

DC Superior Court Judge Heidi Pasichow denied a defendant’s motion for judgment of acquittal on Oct. 9 for an assault with a dangerous weapon charge, but allowed the parties to continue to argue about a charge of obstruction.

Warnell Reams, 57, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and obstruction of justice for his alleged involvement in a stabbing on June 5 on the 200 block of Vine Street, NW. One individual sustained injuries to his left arm and abdomen.

According to court documents, a suspect met the victim to get drugs. He returned sometime later to the scene because he believed he was not given all the drugs he paid for. After an argument, the suspect allegedly stabbed the victim twice in his left arm and once in the left side of his abdomen.

Michelle Lockard, Reams’ attorney, asked for an acquittal stating that the prosecution had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Reams is guilty. 

Judge Pasichow believed that a reasonable person could conclude guilt for the first count of assault with a dangerous weapon, but not for the charge of obstruction of justice. She explained that during prison calls, during which prosecutors claimed Reams attempted to coerce a witness, did not indicate the defendant initiated coercion, or trying to protect of a second person. 

She told parties they could continue making arguments for the obstruction charge on Oct. 10. 

During the trial, the prosecution called the manager of the property where the incident occurred.

She revealed she received a phone call from one of the tenants explaining the incident. She testified she called the police and they asked her to pull video footage for their investigation. 

The prosecution showed video footage of a person identified as the victim walking to the third floor of the building, and entering the apartment of the person who made the call. The footage depicts the victim going to the fourth floor to another apartment. As he leaves, a building resident follows him to the garage where there is some commotion, but it’s not completely visible.

Lockard asked the property manager about the officer’s requesting the video footage. According to her, the officers asked her to pull video footage from specific times and she did not review any footage from different time periods.

One of the officers testified he met the victim at a Metro station.

After following the victim to the hospital, the victim informed the officer that the suspect was a man named ‘Skinny’ whose first name is Wendell or Warnell. 

A second officer testified about the photo array he created for detectives to use in the investigation.

Lockard crossed the officer and revealed that the photo array document was not signed by the detective who used it, and there were missing fields in the document. 

Prosecutors also called on another officer that responded to the scene, and displayed his body worn camera (BWC) footage.

The footage depicted the officers going downstairs and the neighbor pointed out the individual who had previously exited the elevator as Wendell. The officers stopped him but quickly released him afterwards. According to the officer, the individual had a blood stain and was seen with an injury to his left ankle.

A fourth police officer was called to the stand to testify.

The officer was dispatched to the incident and observed Reams, who matched the description of the person of interest, leave the apartment complex. The officer stopped Reams and asked him a couple of questions before he began to run away. The officers detained him after some time and arrested him for assault with a dangerous weapon and theft.

During the last officer’s testimony, the prosecution brought up audio from prisoner calls between Warnell Reams and an unknown individual. The audio played a person saying, “Tell him not to come,” and, “He ain’t going to come,” which the officer identified as Reams.

During cross examination, Lockard revealed that when the officers stopped Reams, he did not have any weapons on his person.

Parties are slated to reconvene Oct. 10.