Judge Denies Release for Men Charged in 13-Year-Old’s Death

By Maria Howard [former] - October 8, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A DC Superior Court judge denied requests to release four co-defendants in a murder case.

Reginald Steels, 22, Aaron Brown, 25, Tyiion Freeman, 22, and Koran Jackson 21, are charged with first-degree murder while armed in the shooting of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes on the 600 block of S Street, NW, on March 1.

Freeman’s defense attorney, Andrew Ain, asked the court to reconsider releasing his client into home confinement because the prosecution has not returned an indictment.

Ain said he is “perplexed at the government’s failure to indict.” He pointed out that Freeman has been in jail for more than 18 months.

The prosecution opposed the request for Freeman’s release saying, “he has a violent criminal history” and “the fact that he was on probation when this offense occurred shows he is still a threat to the community and should not be released.”

Judge Dayna Dayson denied the request for Freeman’s release due to his alleged prior issues with pretrial release. She said that, in the past, he has allowed his GPS monitor to die, had curfew violations and became a loss of contact.

Koran’s defense attorney, Kristin McGough, also requested her client’s release into home confinement, but that was also denied.

Judge Dayson also announced that Brown was voluntarily removed from the courtroom and voluntarily opted out of being physically present at remaining proceedings “due to his actions in court.”

The next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 10.