Case Dismissed: Judge Issues Warrant for Murder Defendant

By D.C. Witness Staff - September 21, 2018
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

Editor’s note: The case against Kenneil Cole was dismissed on Feb. 1, 2023.

A District of Columbia Superior Court judge issued a bench warrant Sept. 21 for a murder defendant who didn’t appear in court. Apparently, the defendant was transferred out of the District in July on a “temporary release.”

Kenneil Cole is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the shooting death of 24-year-old Keon Wallace on the 2400 block of Skyland Place, SE in June.

According to court documents, police found Wallace suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in a townhouse. Cole, 24, turned himself in shortly after the murder.

During an interview with a Metropolitan Police Department detective, Cole said he wanted Wallace to leave the apartment and was arguing with him. Cole said Wallace pulled out a gun during the argument and a fight ensued. Ultimately, Cole said he got the gun frum Wallace and shot him in self-defense.

During a felony status conference, Judge Craig Iscoe was told that Cole was transferred to Rappahannock Regional Jail, a facility in Virginia, for an “unlisted reason” in July. The clerk noted that Cole didn’t have any outstanding cases in Virginia.

Cole’s defense attorney, James King, argued against a bench warrant saying that his client has no criminal history and a warrant would negatively impact his record. Furthermore, King argued that Cole’s transfer was “no fault of his own” and he therefore shouldn’t be penalized for it.

The prosecution said they were “concerned and certainly perplexed” about Cole’s transfer and argued in favor of the warrant as a means to assure Cole’s detention at DC Jail.

Judge Iscoe acknowledged the defense’s arguments, but issued the warrant anyway. However, he said the warrant was no indication of wrongdoing. The judge said he would suppress the warrant once Cole returned to court.

Cole is scheduled for a felony status conference on Oct. 19.