Judge Denies Motion to Release Homicide Defendant in 2010 Shooting

By Carrie McDonald [former] - July 19, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee denied the defense’s request to release a homicide defendant charged in connection to a 2010 shooting. 

Kavon Young, 31, is charged with first-degree murder while armed with a firearm in connection to the fatal shooting of 66-year-old John Pernell on July 3, 2010. According to court documents, Pernell was found on the 3000 block of Nelson Place, SE, with multiple gunshot wounds after what witnesses described as an armed robbery that turned fatal. 

Young was arrested in Sept. 26, 2019, after authorities matched his DNA profile from a separate shooting incident with DNA recovered from Pernell’s autopsy. Court documents also stated that a witness incarcerated for a felony conviction connected Young to the homicide. 

At the July 12 hearing, the prosecution said a new round of DNA testing was conducted and the results were expected by the end of the month. 

“Plenty of time to get results to the defense by the trial date,” the prosecutor said. 

The trial is currently scheduled to begin on Feb. 13, 2023. 

However, defense attorney Matthew Davies argued that Young should be released while the prosecution waits for the test results, saying the prosecution’s case “depends entirely on DNA results’ that the defense has yet to receive.

D.C. Witness previously reported that the prosecution was experiencing delays with testing at a Feb. 11 hearing. The prosecutor informed the court that Bode Technology, a private laboratory conducting the testing, would ensure that the evidence was “first in line” to be tested.

Judge Lee denied the defense’s motion, explaining that DNA test results are irrelevant to his decision to detain Young.

“This isn’t a case where I need to find substantial probability,” Judge Lee said. 

“I just can’t overlook his prior history,” he said. “Mr. Young has a phenomenal record of firearms violations. It’s not safe to put him in the community.” 

Young will continue to be held at the DC Jail. His next court appearance is set for Sept. 2 to discuss the DNA test results.