Judge Holds 9 Defendants, Releases 15 During Initial Hearings

By D.C. Witness Staff - August 27, 2020
Featured | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Aug. 27, DC Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna released 15 defendants, holding nine in DC Jail during initial hearings.

Isaiah Murchison is charged with first-degree murder and 25 other counts affiliated with the murder of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson on the 300 block of 53 Street, NE on July 16, 2018. He was indicted along with 10 other suspects in the murder.

The US Marshals arrested him at a residence in the 1700 block of Lafayette Boulevard in Fredericksburg, Virginia on Aug. 20. 

Deon Dais is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for allegedly discharging a gun in Dupont Circle on Aug. 26. Judge McKenna held Dais due to the severity of the crime and because he committed the offense while on release. 

Dais also has another pending case where he is charged with manufacturing and distribution of a controlled substance after a buy bust operation on March 18 in Grant Circle, NW. Regarding her decision, Judge McKenna said, “I find that there are no [release] conditions or combination of conditions that would ensure the safety of the community.”

Raynell Hawkins is charged with GPS tampering for allegedly failing to charge her GPS device, which violated the conditions of her probation in a 2015 case. Judge McKenna held the defendant because she has also violated other probation conditions, including testing positive for PCP in a drug test and being rearrested in a destruction of property case.

Elliott Jacobs, also known as Eric Johnson, is held on an armed robbery charge for allegedly robbing a business on the 4200 block of Benning Road, NE on Aug. 8. A second suspect in the case, who has not been arrested yet, allegedly held the employees at gunpoint while the robbery took place. Jacobs was also charged in a fugitive matter, where he is wanted in Maryland for a probation violation. 

Damone Bowman is held on charges of driving under the influence and operating a vehicle while impaired for allegedly driving with alcohol in his system on Aug. 27. Bowman was re-arrested while on release for the same charges after allegedly driving under the influence on Dec. 9, 2019, and Aug. 11. Bowman’s only prior conviction has also been for those charges. Judge McKenna held Bowman, citing that he is a “grave danger to the community” based on his persistent DUIs.

Lewis Huntley was held on charges of unlawful entry onto private property and disorderly conduct – disturbing a public conveyance for making a woman take off her clothing, which he had stolen for her, at the Congress Heights Metro Station on Aug. 26. Huntley is involved in a string of other misdemeanor cases that took place over the course of 2020. He is held due the repeated nature of his offenses.

Noah Abdullah is charged with assault on a police officer and simple assault for allegedly getting into an altercation with law enforcement after allegedly stealing items from an embassy on the 1700 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, NW on Aug. 26. He has another pending case where he is charged with unlawful entry onto private property and second-degree theft for an incident in January. Abdullah is held to complete further mental health and forensic screening. 

Judge McKenna held Derrick Thames on a parole warrant. Thames has a pending case where he is charged with threats to do bodily harm for allegedly threatening someone with a knife on the unit block of H Street, NW on Aug. 26. In that case, Thames is released with a stay away order from the victim and the location of the incident.

Ashton Johnson is held on fugitive charges for two cases in Maryland. The demanding jurisdiction in Maryland has three business days to retrieve Johnson, or he will have another hearing in DC to discuss his release. 

Of those released, five defendants were charged in domestic violence cases. Four of the defendants were given stay-away orders, and one of the defendants was given a no harassing, assaultive, threatening or stalking (HATS) order.

Three defendants, charged with assaulting a police officer, were released by Judge McKenna. One of the defendants has been in the hospital since Aug. 12. He is still hospitalized and waived his presence at the hearing. Once he is released from the hospital, he is ordered to stay away from a location and to get mental screening conducted.

Judge McKenna released one defendant charged with being a fugitive from justice, where she is wanted in Virginia for larceny. The judge ordered her to turn herself in to Virginia authorities within the next 24 hours.

Two defendants were charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, and Judge McKenna released them with orders not to possess firearms or ammunition while their cases are pending.

One defendant was charged with disorderly conduct and was released with a stay-away order.

Three defendants were brought in on bench warrants for failing to appear at their hearings, and Judge McKenna released them with new court dates.

A defendant, charged with simple assault in a domestic violence case, was in the hospital, so her hearing was moved to Aug. 28.