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By
D.C. Witness Staff
- July 6, 2020
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Homicides
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Suspects
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On July 6, District of Columbia Superior Court Judge James Crowell released 28 defendants and held four defendants in DC Jail during initial hearings.
Of the released defendants, two defendants did not have charges filed against them.
One defendant was charged with first-degree sexual abuse. The defense attorney said that the complainant walked with and took photographs with the defendant before reporting that he had assaulted her.
Afterward, she got back on the train with the defendant. The defense attorney said the woman’s actions were not the same someone would do if attacked.
But, the prosecution said defense counsel was “victim shaming” the complainant by mentioning that she suffers from bipolar disorder and anxiety.
Judge Crowell decided to hold the defendant until his next hearing on Aug. 8, citing the seriousness of the allegations and amount of evidence in the police report.
There were eight domestic violence cases. Six of the defendants were released and two were held. All released defendants were given stay-away orders.
One of the held defendants was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly stabbing another woman several times in front of a victim’s minor children.
Another defendant who was held was charged with destruction of property and contempt. The defendant has two other pending domestic violence cases against the same complainant, his mother.
“His mother lives in fear of him every single day,” the prosecution said.
Judge Crowell held the defendant, citing he stopped taking his medication the last time he was released.
Two defendants were charged with assaulting a law enforcement officer. One defendant was released under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP), while the other, Jamar Byrd, was held in DC Jail.
Judge Crowell held Byrd, citing his three pending cases where he violated his stay-away order. The defendant also has two prior convictions for assaulting law enforcement personnel.
Four defendants were charged with carrying a pistol without a license. Judge Crowell released them due to minimal criminal history.
Two co-defendants were charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. The prosecution was amenable to their release, so both were released by the judge. One was given a stay-away order.
Two defendants were charged with DUI. In one of the cases, the prosecution requested that the defendant not be allowed to drive at all, but both were released with instructions not to drive after consuming drugs or alcohol.
Two defendants were each charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance. They were both released because prosecution was amenable to their release.
One defendant was charged with being a fugitive from justice out of the state of Maryland. Judge Crowell released him with instructions to turn himself in to the authorities in Montgomery County.
A defendant was charged with contempt for being out past his curfew. The prosecution requested a hold, but Judge Crowell said, “It seems like we’re going from zero to 60 pretty fast here,” and released the defendant under HISP with GPS monitoring.
Seven misdemeanor cases were heard for attempted threats to do bodily harm, unlawful entry, tampering with a detection device, destruction of property and failure to appear. All were released by Judge Crowell.