Judge Holds 8, Releases 26 During Initial Hearing

By D.C. Witness Staff - September 22, 2020
Featured | Homicides | Suspects |

During initial hearings on Sept. 21, a DC Superior Court judge released 27 defendants and held eight at DC Jail.

Demetrice Patterson is charged with being a fugitive of justice from Virginia. The underlying charge is a weapons offense while in possession of narcotics. The city of Fredericksburg, Va. requested that the defendant be held due to the seriousness of the charges. 

Judge James Crowell said he was inclined to cooperate with the request. 

The defendant is being held in DC Jail until the respective authorities pick him up.

Daijah Foster is charged with being a fugitive of justice in Maryland for robbery with a weapon. Judge Crowell held the defendant due to the seriousness of the crime. 

Foster will be held at the DC Jail for three days, where the respective authorities in Maryland will pick her up.

Jayvon Jones, 18, is charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance while armed. He is being held pending his next hearing on Oct. 14. 

According to court documents, Jones was stopped by officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on Sept. 19, when they discovered a handgun in his waistband, and marijuana in his vehicle.

Richard Hunter, 64, is being charged with unlawful entry onto private property. Due to separate pending cases, one that involves the same location, Judge Crawford held the defendant at the DC Jail. 

Judge Crowell said he could not ensure that the defendant would comply with release conditions after violating previous stay away orders. 

Judge Crowell scheduled the defendant’s next hearing for Oct. 13.

William Gray, 33, is charged with attempted threats to do bodily harm, destruction of property, and simple assault. According to court documents, on Sept. 21, on the 1900 block of 9th Street, NW, a victim waved down officers. She said she had been robbed by the defendant. 

The defendant could be seen on surveillance footage punching the victim, and then reaching into the basket on her bike, according to court documents.

Judge Crowell held the defendant, scheduling a hearing for Oct. 13.

Andre Turman, 29, is charged with unlawful entry of private property. 

Judge Crowell held the defendant due to the fact the defendant has been non-compliant with the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) for more than a year. Judge Crowell said he could not guarantee the defendant would be compliant now.

The defendant’s next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 13.

Eric Patterson, 22, is charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. The defense requested home confinement.

But, Judge Crowell denied the request, choosing to hold Patterson because the defendant had 10 arrest warrants issued over the last three years. Judge Crowell said he could not guarantee the defendant would appear in court on his own personal recognizance. 

Judge Crowell scheduled the defendant’s next hearing for Oct. 14.

A 35-year-old defendant was charged with unlawful entry onto private property, and was released with a stay away order.

Eight of the defendants are involved in domestic violence cases. One of the eight is being held on contempt charges. 

The defendant also has separate pending charges involving the same victim and has violated multiple protective orders. 

Judge Crowell said that because of the defendant’s criminal history, he could not ensure the safety of the victim and held the defendant pending his next hearing on Oct. 13.  

The released defendants included:

A male defendant is charged with simple assault and destruction of property in a domestic violence case. The judge released him with a stay away order. 

The defendant can only return to the scene stated in the stay away with a police escort to collect his belongings.

A male defendant is charged with violating a civil protective order and second-degree theft in a domestic violence case. He was released with GPS monitoring and a stay away order from the location and victim.

 Judge Crowell said that GPS would be suitable since no violence was involved in the case. 

Another male defendant is charged with destruction of property in a domestic violence case. He was released with a stay away order. 

A male defendant is charged with attempted threat to do bodily harm in a domestic violence case. He was released with a stay away order.

Three defendants are charged with simple assault in domestic violence cases. The defendants were released with stay away orders from the victims involved.

One defendant was brought before Judge Crowell for an outstanding arrest warrant. The defendant said he turned himself in, but due to the pandemic, he was not aware of the changes in court proceedings. Judge Crowell released him. 

The defendant is expected to return to court on Feb. 22.

One defendant, charged with assault with a deadly weapon and carrying a pistol without a license, was released with a stay away order. 

Judge Crowell also ordered him to report to PSA weekly, and to not possess any firearms or ammunition.

Five defendants who are charged with simple assault were released with stay away orders. Judge Crowell scheduled their next hearings for Feb. 22. The defendants must report to PSA weekly.

A 25-year-old defendant is charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside of a home or business. Judge Crowell released the defendant with a stay away order. The defendant  cannot possess any firearms or ammunition.

One defendant was arrested due to an outstanding arrest warrant for failing to appear in court, and was released with the order to return to court on Feb. 22.

 Judge Crowell said that he would be lenient because the missed court date was scheduled during the pandemic.

One defendant, charged with the distribution of a controlled substance identified as heroin, was released. The defendant is ordered to stay away from a location and report to PSA weekly.

Judge Crowell issued a bench warrant for one defendant that did not report to the PSA to have a GPS device installed. No bail was set.

Three defendants charged with being fugitives of justice were released. 

Judge Crowell gave them until 5 o’clock on Sept. 22, to surrender themselves to the respective jurisdictions. The Maryland cases involve a family offense, larceny, and drug possession. The remaining defendant has an extradition hearing scheduled for Dec. 23.

A defendant charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance while armed was released with GPS monitoring. 

Judge Crowell also said the defendant could not possess firearms or ammunition.

Another 35-year-old defendant, charged with the unlawful possession of a liquid, identified as PCP, was released. The judge released the defendant with the conditions that he does not drive without a valid permit, and that he must report to PSA weekly.

A 46-year-old defendant is charged with lewd, indecent, or obscene acts in the Washington D.C. area, and being a fugitive of justice from Virginia. The underlying charge in the fugitive case is indecent exposure. 

Judge Crowell released the defendant in both cases. The defendant will return to Washington D.C. on Dec. 23, for an extradition hearing in regards to the fugitive matter. The judge scheduled a hearing for the D.C. case for Feb. 22.

The final defendant, a 41-year-old male, is charged with simple assault and sex abuse. Judge Crowell released the defendant with orders to stay away from the victim and location and report to PSA weekly.