Judge Holds Murder Defendant During Initial Hearings

By D.C. Witness Staff - May 13, 2021
Featured | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

During initial hearings on May 12, DC Superior Court Judge Shelly Mulkey held a murder defendant.

There were a total of 19 defendants presented before the court. There were no domestic violence or sexual assault cases.

Darrell Moore is charged with second-degree murder while armed in the killing of 37 year-old Julius Hayes on April 3. Moore, 43, allegedly shot Hayes six times during an altercation on the 300 block of 8th Street, NE. 

Defense counsel requested that the judge to not find probable cause, saying that the main witness who identified Moore is unreliable. According to counsel, the witness claims he was at the scene of the shooting, but later could not remember what the shooter was wearing. “Seeing someone get shot would be burnt into your memory,” he said.

Judge Mulkey found probable cause in Moore’s case. She said she felt the witness’ identification of Moore was strong, and his tie to the car involved in the shooting is strong, as well.

“The evidence in this case is extremely heavy, and I do find there is a substantial probability that Mr. Moore committed the offense,” she said.

The prosecution requested Moore be held, noting an offense that he committed in 1994. Moore was convicted, by a jury, of first-degree murder while armed, among other charges, in the shooting of Denise King in Southeast, DC. 

Moore was recently released under supervised probation in August of 2020 and allegedly committed this new offense while on probation.

Counsel acknowledged the seriousness of the prior offense, but he mentioned that Moore was only 16 when the offense was committed and it was his twin brother who fired the gun all those years ago.

He asked for Moore to be released under home confinement as part of the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP), but Judge Mulkey granted the hold request, saying she believes Moore is a danger to the community.

Moore will be held at the DC Jail until his next hearing, which is scheduled for June 1.