Judge Places Murder Defendant Back in Jail for Violating Release Conditions

By D.C. Witness Staff - October 16, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Victims |

Instead of waiting for his trial at his home, a murder defendant will now wait for it while he is being held at the DC Jail. 

Darrise Jeffers along with Saquan Williams, Quincy Garvin, Mark Tee Price, Isaiah Murchison, Antonio Murchison, Gregory Taylor, Marquell Cobbs, Qujuan Thomas, and Quentin Michals are charged with first-degree murder for their alleged involvement in the shooting of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson on the 300 block of 53 Street, NE on July 16, 2018. Quanisha Ramsuer is charged with obstruction of justice in relation to the shooting.  According to court documents, the shooting resulted from a neighborhood rivalry.

On Oct. 16, DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Lee Beck told Jeffers, 20, that he violated the terms of his release. She order that he wait for his trial, which is scheduled to begin in 2021, at DC Jail.

According to Judge Beck, Jeffers left his house multiple times late at night. He was released under home confinement.  

According to Judge Beck, Jeffers was warned by DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe about the penalties of not adhering to the terms of his release. 

She said, after he had broken the rule the first time, a social worker told him to stop leaving the house. However, he continued to violate the terms of his release. 

Judge Beck said he was well aware of the penalties and repeatedly ignored warnings. 

Jeffers defense counsel, Veronice Holt, said home confinement was overwhelming for Jeffers. 

Instead, she requested Jeffers be placed in a halfway house.

She said the halfway house would be accountable if Jeffers violated his release conditions. She said the halfway house could send him to jail without intervention from the court. 

Judge Beck denied her request.

“There is clear and convincing evidence the community cannot be safe and I cannot be sure he will return to court,” Judge Beck said.

All of the defendants except for Ramsuer, 26, are scheduled for a status hearing on Nov 1. 

Garvin, 19, Williams, 17, Thomas, 20, Michaels, 21, Taylor, 23, and Price, 24, are scheduled to got to trial in June of 2020. Jeffers, 19, Cobbs, 17, Antonio, 26, and Isaiah, 19, are slated to begin trial in January of 2021. The defendants are being held without bail.

Ramsuer, who is released on personal recognizance, is scheduled to begin trial on Feb. 3, 2020.