A DC Superior Court judge denied a request to release a murder defendant.
Malachi McFarland, 21, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 29-year-old Kerry Odoms on April 15 on the 3300 block of 10th Place, SE. He is currently being held at DC Jail.
Defense attorney Jacqueline Cadman requested her client’s release because his cell unit has been quarantined and he has underlying health conditions that put him at a higher risk for complications if he contracts the coronavirus.
When that motion was denied, Cadman then asked that her client be tested a few days before his upcoming preliminary hearing so he could be physically present in court or attend the hearing remotely via WebEx. That motion has not been ruled on. Judge Marisa Demeo said she will speak to the presiding judge on this matter.
The preliminary hearing, which will determine if the case has enough evidence to go to trial, is scheduled for Sept. 30.
