Judge Refuses to Remove Electronic Monitoring from Murder Defendant

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“This is the bare minimum to make sure for people in the community that there’s some assurance of their safety,” stated DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe in denying a motion by Naquel Henderson’s defense attorney to have his electronic monitoring removed.

Henderson, 26, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and five counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Michael Taylor on Jan. 12, 2019, on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE.

Arrest documents report that Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to the report of a shooting and found three victims suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Two of the victims, an adult and a juvenile, survived with serious injuries, but Taylor was pronounced dead after lifesaving efforts failed.

Henderson is one of five co defendants in the case. Two of them–Stephon Evans, 23, and Tavist Alston, 30–have accepted plea deals, while two others–Alonzo Brown, 27, and Carlos Turner, 26–are still awaiting trial.

Lisbeth Sapirstein, Henderson’s attorney, asked Judge O’Keefe to remove Henderson’s electronic monitoring because DC Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) has repeatedly reported Henderson as being in violation of his stay-away order when Uber drivers have taken him through the stay-away zone, despite his requests that they take a different route.

“He called me right after getting out of the Uber. He asked, he begged the guy not to drive by the stay-away location, and the Uber driver didn’t listen,” Sapirstein told Judge O’Keefe regarding Henderson’s most recent reported violation.

“There have never been any allegations in this case, either while Mr. Henderson was incarcerated or after he was released, that he has attempted to make any contact with the complainants or their families,” Sapirstein argued.

“Witnesses are being threatened,” the prosecutor stated in opposition to Sapirstein’s motion. “This information just came to us in the last 24 hours. I haven’t been able to vet it, I haven’t been able to investigate it, but it is of concern.”

“Maybe it’s the two folks who have already been convicted,” Judge O’Keefe responded in his refusal to take the allegations of threats into account in his decision regarding Henderson’s conditions of release.

Judge O’Keefe denied Sapirstein’s motion, pointing out that defendants facing charges like Henderson’s are rarely released from detention under any conditions, let alone freed from electronic monitoring.

“We’re talking about a mandatory minimum of 30 years in jail. That would scare anyone,” Judge O’Keefe countered when Sapirstein argued that Henderson was not a flight risk.

At Sapirstein’s request, Judge O’Keefe agreed to amend Henderson’s stay-away order so that PSA would not report it as a violation if he momentarily passed through the stay-away zone.

Judge O’Keefe also denied a motion for severance from Sapirstein, which would have allowed Henderson to be tried separately from the other co-defendants in this case.

Henderson’s trial readiness hearing is scheduled for April 25, 2025. The parties have agreed to go to trial sooner if an earlier date opens up.