Judge Holds Domestic Violence Defendant, Denies Guilty Plea

By D.C. Witness Staff - August 27, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

On Aug. 27, a DC Superior Court Judge decided to hold a domestic violence defendant in DC Jail and deny the defendant’s guilty plea. 

The defendant is charged with violating a Court Protective Order (CPO.)

The defendant waived his detention hearing and said he wanted to plead guilty. 

Judge Judith Pipe did not accept the defendant’s guilty plea because he is currently awaiting a probation revocation for his other case, a felony matter, in which he pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and contempt.

The prosecution requested that the defendant remain held at DC Jail, which Judge Pipe granted.

Defense attorney Cynthia Goode Works objected to the decision. Works is not the defendant’s attorney in his other case. Since she was unaware this hearing would be affected by the other case in which she was not briefed, she asked Judge Pipe to follow through with the plea.

“It would be unfair to hold [the defendant] because of paperwork,” Works said.

Judge Pipe said she did not want to release the defendant due to concerns over the safety of the victim in the domestic violence matter. She added that the defendant does not have a good record with checking in while on release.

Judge Pipe arranged for a status hearing to take place on Sept. 8 to move the domestic violence case forward.