Judge Lifts Stay Away Order After Hearing from Victim

By D.C. Witness Staff - February 18, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

A DC Superior Court judge agreed to lift a stay away order after hearing a victim’s impact statement.

The defendant is charged with simple assault in a misdemeanor domestic violence case. He was convicted of simple assault in another. He is also convicted of assault with significant bodily injury in a felony case that is not a domestic violence matter.

Due to court rules regarding domestic violence matters, D.C. Witness does not know which domestic violence case pertained to the victim who spoke during the Feb. 18 hearing. D.C. Witness does know that the speaker was a victim in at least one of the domestic violence cases.

During his statement to the judge, the victim said the defendant completed anger management classes. He also said that, without the defendant, he struggles with home upkeep and running errands and he misses the defendant’s companionship.

Though initially hesitant, Judge Neal Kravitiz decided that vacating the stay away order was more beneficial to the victim than the order itself.

He did, however, issue a No Harass, Assault, Threaten or Stalk (HATS) order.  The defendant will also be allowed to live with the victim while under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP).

A hearing for the cases is scheduled for April 20.

Alaina Provenza wrote this article.