Thank you for reading D.C. Witness.
Help us continue our mission into 2025 by donating to our end of year campaign.
By
Zakiyia Ortiz [former]
- October 24, 2022
Court
|
Daily Stories
|
Homicides
|
Juveniles
|
Shooting
|
Suspects
|
Victims
|
On Oct. 19, defense attorney Anthony Matthews requested for the defendant involved in a drive-by shooting to have his home confinement conditions revised, since he is in full compliance with pretrial services.
Eric Smith, 23, was charged with first-degree murder in June of 2018 for the fatal shooting of Rondell Wills on the 200 block of 50th Street, NE. Wills’ death was the result of a drive-by shooting. He was not the intended target.
According to news reports, Wills, 38, died from a fatal gunshot wound in the neck because he was trying to protect his children when the shooting occurred.
Court documents identified Smith as the driver.
Matthews informed DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan that he plans to conduct independent testing on the behalf of Smith.
The prosecutor indicated they will be also retest DNA in Smith’s case. Testing was already conducted before by the Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS).
Judge Raffinan revised Smith’s release conditions from in-person check-ins with a curfew from 12 p.m. to 8 a.m. to weekly check-ins with pretrial services one time a week via phone with the stay-away order still in place.
The next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16.