A murder subject’s state of mind and physical condition were the subjects of a March 4 hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan.
The defendant,Isaiah Trotman, 34, Isaiah Trotman is charged with first-degree murder while armed, 27 counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, 13 counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, and 13 counts of kidnapping while armed.
He allegedly opened fire at the Potomac Avenue Metro Station, located on the 1400 block of Potomac Avenue, SE, on Feb. 1, 2023. The shooting fatally injured 64-year-old Robert Cunningham, and left three others with life-threatening injuries.
Trotman was a “medical scratch” by the US Marshals, meaning he wasn’t healthy enough to come to the courthouse from the DC Jail to take part in the proceedings. It was the second time Trotman failed to appear.
Given Trotman’s tenuous situation, parties in the case engaged in an extended, private conversation with Judge Ryan about possible next steps.
A January jury trial was delayed after doctors from the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) requested up to two months to complete Trotman’s mental examination. Since then Trotman has had four mental observation hearings scheduled.
In order to stand trial, a defendant must be mentally able to understand the charges against him and be able to help his lawyer.
Trotman’s legal team of Mani Golzari and Ashley Guzman expressed concern about Trotman’s medical treatment at the jail including the need for a suicide watch following a “schizophrenia attack.”
Further, his lawyers averred that when they saw Trotman he was barefoot which they described as “disturbing.”
“There’s a lack of understanding about what their responsibilities are,”Judge Ryan responded, criticizing the jail,
He ordered another mental health evaluation screening on March 12.
