Judge Denies Motion to Remove Teen from Juvenile Detention Facility

By D.C. Witness Staff - October 11, 2018
Court | Homicides | Policy | Suspects |

During a status hearing, prosecutors argued in favor of placing a 17-year-old murder defendant in the DC jail, regardless of legislation that mandates otherwise.

Dajuan Jones is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 26-year-old Cheyenne Washington on the 4400 block of E Street, SE in July.

According to court documents, prior to the shooting, surveillance video from a Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority bus shows Jones exiting a bus at the same stop as the decedent. Both Jones and Washington are seen walking in the same direction.

An eyewitness told police the shooter was a black male wearing a white t-shirt and something dark on or around his head. According to court documents, the witness’s description matches Jones’ appearance in the footage.

Jones is being charged as an adult.

In court Oct. 10, Jones’ defense attorney, Emily Stirba, argued in favor of her client remaining at New Beginnings, a Maryland-based juvenile youth detention facility. The attorney’s argument was based on the enactment of the Comprehensive Youth Justice Amendment Act of 2016 that mandates that all juveniles, regardless of crime, be held in youth detention facilities instead of adult jails. The amendment went into effect on Oct. 1.

But, the prosecution argued that the amendment does not include youth charged as adults.

DC Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff denied the prosecution’s request to have Jones placed at the DC Jail, noting that the language of the law defines a juvenile as any person under the age of 18 with no mention of their charge.

Jones will remain at New Beginnings for the foreseeable future; however, the prosecution said they plan to motion for his transfer to DC Jail again. Jones will turn 18 on Oct. 31.

Jones is scheduled for a felony status conference on Jan. 18, 2019.