Judge Permits Statements from Victim and Murder Defendant

By D.C. Witness Staff - January 23, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

During a trial readiness hearing Jan. 22, a DC Superior Court judge said that select statements from a murder victim and a murder defendant were admissible during trial.

Mason Binion, 32, Victor Carvajal, 33, and Joshua Massaquoi, 32, are charged with first-degree murder while armed for their alleged role in the shooting of Michael Francis Taylor, 21, on the 600 block of Farragut Street, NW, on June 22, 2008.

Judge Ronna Beck allowed 10 statements that Taylor said before his murder, and five statements that Binion said before and after the murder. The statements are so that counsel can question witnesses about the murder and the prosecution’s theory that Taylor’s death was in connection to a drug deal gone bad.

Judge Beck also said that including Carvajal in the drug deal theory was not admissible during trial because there was no concrete evidence that he or his money was involved in the deal.

Carvajal’s defense attorneys, Justin Okezie and Lucas Dansie, also filed a motion for a continuance for reasons that were placed under seal and addressed at the bench.

The parties also discussed possible questions for jury selection which will take place on Jan. 23.

Opening statements for Binion and Carvajal’s trial is slated to begin on Jan. 27.