Judge Issues Bench Warrant for Failure to Appear

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 22, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

A DC Superior Court judge issued a bench warrant for a defendant who failed to appear in court for his July 22 hearing.

Alonte Hines pleaded guilty to robbery on Jan. 23. Hines, 19, has been under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) while awaiting sentencing since May 17, 2019. 

A Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) representative said the defendant has been a loss of contact since July 5, when the battery on his GPS monitor died.

Defense attorney Russell Hairston opposed the bench warrant, saying his client may not have known about the hearing. Hairston’s attempt to contact his client was unsuccessful. 

Judge Danya Dayson said the defendant would have known about the hearing if he was keeping in compliance with his release condition. 

On May 15, 2019, three adult men dragged a victim into a building on the 5000 block of D Street, SE. 

One of the suspects pointed a handgun at the victim while another went through the victim’s pockets and took his iPhone, Galaxy Note, keys and wallet. The group then took the victim’s vehicle and drove away, according to court documents.