Judge Refuses to Intervene in Murder Defendant’s Jail Sanctions

By D.C. Witness Staff - August 2, 2018
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

On Aug. 1, a murder defendant was escorted out of the courtroom after a judge refused to order the DC Jail to restore his visitation rights.

Co-defendants, Jolonta Little and Monte Johnson are charged with felony murder while armed for allegedly shooting 22-year-old Deeniquia Dodds, a transgender woman, on the 200 block of Division Avenue, NE in 2016. The case is being treated as a hate crime. Cyheme Hall and Shareem Hall are also charged with Dodd’s murder. The Halls’ case statuses are not available at this time.

During a trial readiness hearing, counsel agreed they were on track to go to trial in January in 2019.

Subsequently, Little’s attorney, Brandi Harden, requested that the judge order the DC Jail to restore her client’s visitation rights or at least create provisions that would allow human contact.

Harden said that living in isolation and not being able to see his family has caused Little to have a mental breakdown. She said she deems these conditions as “cruel and unusual punishment.”

In March, the prosecution requested the jail curtail Little’s contact with visitors because he was allegedly ordering hits and assaults on witnesses in the case.

DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee said that while he agreed the provisions may not be fair, they were reasonable considering the allegations against Little. Judge Lee said he had no jurisdiction to tell the jail what to do, and he refused to get involved with the situation.  

Little started yelling at the judge because of the decision and had to be escorted from the courtroom by the U.S. Marshals.

Little, 27, and Johnson, 23, are also charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy, robbery while armed, assault with attempt to commit a robbery, carrying a pistol without a license and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Little and Johnson are scheduled for a status hearing on Jan. 4, 2019.