Judge Grants Second Indictment Extension in Co-Defendant Homicide Case

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DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe granted the prosecution’s request to extend the nine-month indictment deadline in a homicide case, a second time.

Aaron Walker, 20, and Dasani Dawson, 19, are charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 20-year-old Brian Buxton on Aug. 9, 2022, on the 100 block of Irvington Street, SW.

According to court documents, Buxton sustained what a physician termed as an “unsurvivable brain injury” after being shot in the head.

During the June 13 hearing, Judge O’Keefe granted the prosecutors’ request to extend the indictment window despite protest from the defense counsel for both Walker and Dawson.

The original indictment deadline was set for May 23, but an essential witness was unable to testify resulting in a 20-day extension, moving the deadline to June 13.

However, the prosecution reached out on June 12 alerting the Court, Lisbeth Stapirstein, Dawson’s attorney, and Brandi Harden, Walker’s attorney, that the problem persisted.

Stapirstein and Harden argued that prosecutors have had more than enough time to produce an indictment and should dismiss the case. Harden stated that it is prejudicial to have a looming murder charge over Walker for such a long time.

Walker is currently in DC Jail due to a separate ongoing case that is moving towards trial.

Walker’s defense attorney argues that if the case is dismissed Walker will still be in jail, if prosecutors wish to retry this case in the future. Therefore, there is no reason to continue extending the indictment deadline, she insisted.

Judge O’Keefe was in agreement with prosecutors in that each extension has been warranted due to special circumstances.

Prosecutors stated they are “ready” for indictment and just need the extension to accommodate essential witness testimony.

Court is slated to reconvene on June 28 to check in on the indictment progress.