Judge Reduces Release Conditions for Homicide Defendant

Thank you for reading D.C. Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun reduced the release conditions for a homicide defendant in a felony status conference hearing on Feb. 3.

Gary Rush, 40, is charged with second-degree murder for allegedly killing Keena Dowtin on Sep. 20, 2020, at Fort Dupont Drive and Fort Davis Drive in Southeast, DC. Rush has been under the high intensity supervision program (HISP) since January of 2022.

Pretrial services stated that Rush has been compliant, checking in once per week in person.

Defense attorney Nathaniel Mensah requested that Rush check in with pretrial services by phone in order to avoid disrupting the defendant’s work schedule.

The prosecution suggested a hybrid compromise where Rush would check in by phone weekly and in person once per month.

Judge Okun granted the change in release conditions, ordering the defendant to check in with pretrial services in person once a month and otherwise by phone.

Rush is scheduled to return to court on March 3.

Follow this case